Publications by Type: Journal Article

Purpose: Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) participates in thrombotic, fibrinolytic, inflammatory and metabolic cascades. Since previous studies have focused on tissue and blood level concentrations, our goal was to investigate for the first time the independent relationship between plasma PAI-1 activity in resectable non small cell cell lung cancer (NSCLC) taking into consideration its several interfaces, and study its diagnostic and prognostic potential. Methods: In an adequately powered case-control study, plasma PAI-1 activity, metabolic parameters, classic adipokines, hemostatic, inflammatory and tumor biomarkers were measured in 110 consecutive patients with resectable NSCLC and 110 healthy subjects matched on age, sex and date of blood draw. Results: NSCLC patients exhibited significantly higher PAI-1 activity compared to controls (p<0.001). In NSCLC cases, PAI-1 activity correlated with somatometric variables, insulin, WBC, antithrombin III, protein C, plasminogen, IL-6 and tumor size (p<0.05). Plasma PAI-1 activity was independently associated with NSCLC beyond risk factors associated with NSCLC (OR: 6.9, 95% CI: 2.9-16.6, p<0.001). Plasminogen activity and body mass index emerged as independent predictors of PAI-1 activity in cases. Due to its high specificity, PAI-1 activity could represent a potentially useful parameter in ruling out NSCLC, alone or in combination with serum tumor markers associated with NSCLC. Conclusions: PAI-1 activity, reflecting PAI-1 functionality, may represent a potentially useful biomarker in NSCLC associated with thrombotic, tumor-promoting and metabolic networks. More clinical studies are needed to explore whether PAI-1 activity may be a practical biomarker in the risk assessment of NSCLC, at the crossroads of hemostasis and metabolism.

Given that goat milk and dairy products should be consumed daily according to suggestions based on Mediterranean diet, the current study evaluates the anti-atherogenic properties of goat milk and goat dairy products (yogurt and white cheese). Total lipids (TLs) of all three samples were extracted by the method of Bligh and Dyer and further separated into total polar lipids (TPLs) and total neutral lipids (TNLs) by counter current distribution. The fatty acid profiles of TPL and TNL of all three samples were determined by gas chromatography analysis. TL and TPL were tested to determine whether they induce platelet aggregation or inhibit platelet aggregation induced by the platelet-activating factor (PAF). The most active lipids were found in goat white cheese (i.e., since they showed lower IC50 values in both TL and TPL samples than corresponding fractions of goat milk and goat yogurt), so the TPL of goat white cheese were further separated by preparative thin-layer chromatography (TLC). The obtained polar lipid fractions after TLC separation were also tested for their biological activity. All the samples’ lipids, and especially the polar ones, were found to exhibit strong anti-atherogenic activities. This fact highlights the nutritional value of goat dairy products in terms of cardioprotection, as PAF is a crucial inflammatory mediator that is implicated in the mechanism of atherogenesis.

ABSTRACT The combination of electrospray ionization with ion beam deposition in ultra-high vacuum has opened new opportunities to research non-sublimable molecules on solid surfaces in recent years. An Fe(II) [2 ? 2] grid complex was deposited on Ag(111) and investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy. Low landing energies (< 3 eV z?1) resulted in clusters and single structures with potentially intact coordination bonds. Higher landing energies (> 3 eV z?1) led to coordination bond cleavage and a rich variety of self-assembled surface networks formed spontaneously by the grid fragments. Applying established on-surface synthesis methodology employing the constituents of these networks (ligands and Fe atoms) reproduced only a part of them. It is thus proposed that electrospray ion beam deposition is a different route to on-surface coordination network synthesis.

The steadily rising prevalence of children diagnosed with autism –estimated at one in 100 according to the World Health Organization (2024)– underscores the imperative for educators to cultivate classrooms in which students become sensitized, develop empathy, and enact positive attitudes and behaviors toward classmates with autism, given that school constitutes the pre-eminent context for children’s encounter, interaction, and co-existence. The present study reports the design, implementation, and evaluation of a pilot awareness-raising program intended to enhance peer acceptance of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) through the use of an illustrated children’s book. The program was implemented in a single third-grade primary school classroom (N = 15). Prior to and following implementation, semi-structured individual interviews –based on standardized questionnaires– were conducted to examine students’ knowledge and attitudes regarding ASD. The intervention sought to support typically developing children in (a) increasing their knowledge about ASD and (b) adopting more positive attitudes toward peers with ASD. The book All My Stripes by Rudolph and Royer (2015) was used, together with guided discussion and complementary activities (games, crafts, dramatization, and songs). A mixed-method design was implemented, combining qualitative analysis (i.e., thematic analysis with the use of inductive and deductive approach) and quantitative analysis. Findings indicated a marked decrease in children’s ignorance and stereotypes regarding ASD alongside an increase in accurate understanding of ASD and in recognition of strengths in children with ASD. Moreover, children’s intention to form friendships with peers with ASD, to sit at the same desk with them, to play with them during recess, and to support them in incidents of teasing/bullying increased, whereas fear toward them decreased. Notably, gender-related patterns emerged regarding attitudes: girls exhibited greater stability in their positive attitudes, whereas boys demonstrated a larger magnitude of improvement following the intervention. Overall, the pilot program underscored the potential of children’s literature and of an explicitly empathetic pedagogical stance to promote inclusive attitudes in primary school settings.

Abstract Fabrication of diverse and complex 2D molecular architectures using surface-confined supramolecular coordination chemistry has been continuously attracting considerable attention for years. Here, the on-surface synthesis of 2D coordination networks exhibiting both crystalline and vitreous phases employing the same constituents is reported. Robust and flexible bimolecular 2D coordination networks, structurally analogous to 2D bilayer silica films on Ru(0001) and graphene, are achieved by iron-directed self-assembly of indigo and 1,3,5-tris[4-(pyridin-4-yl)phenyl]benzene (ext-TPyB) or 1,3,5-tris(pyridyl)benzene (TPyB) linkers on Au(111). The crystalline phase features honeycombed nanopores, displaying long-range order with local defects that can be attributed to variations in coordination nodes and shape flexibility of the ext-TPyB (/ TPyB) ligand. The vitreous phase evolves upon annealing the honeycomb network to higher temperatures and exhibits reticulated polygons similar to Zachariasen's 2D random network theory. The size of the polygons follows a lognormal distribution, with the probability density function showing an almost linear behavior as characteristic of the structure of glass. The results enrich avenues toward the fabrication and understanding of novel nanostructured condensed matter systems, such as 2D crystalline and vitreous structures, as well as provide the unique possibility to understand structurally bulk glasses.

We analyze the impact of the institutional environment on the leverage of European listed SMEs for the period 2005-2018. We use a broad range of institutional quality, judicial efficiency and corruption measures, along with several firm-specific and macro control variables, to identify different transmission channels on leverage. By performing a panel data analysis into the fixed effects filter estimator framework, along with several model specifications and robustness tests, the results show that better institutions, stronger judicial effectiveness and higher corruption decrease leverage. In terms of active transmission channels, increased investment under regimes of better institutional quality tends to increase leverage. Higher judicial efficiency accompanied by increased profitability tends to decrease, while higher institutional quality accompanied by higher investments tends to increase leverage, bringing more bank credit. Increasing profitability under regimes of decreased corruption decreases leverage. This last finding is even more pronounced for medium enterprises, as opposed to micro enterprises. The most significant factors associated with leverage are profitability, asset structure, cost of borrowing, stock market development and size, while an age effect is rejected. Pecking order theory seems to better fit the European SMEs capital structure choices under several institutional states.

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Given a filtration of the module of vector fields on a smooth manifold, we define a pseudodifferential calculus where the order of a vector field is given by the filtration. We show that pseudodifferential operators have a well-defined principal symbol for a subset of the unitary representations of the osculating groups. We prove a Rockland-type theorem, showing that the invertibility of the principal symbol is equivalent to maximal hypoellipticity. This answers affirmatively a conjecture due to Helffer and Nourrigat.

Loneliness during adolescence has increased worldwide in recent years and has been consistently associated with a broad range of adverse psychosocial outcomes. Within this context, the availability of valid and reliable measures is essential for the early identification of loneliness and for the rigorous evaluation of intervention effectiveness. Nevertheless, multidimensional, psychometrically validated instruments for assessing loneliness in Greek adolescents remain limited. The aim of the present study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Greek version of the Relational Provisions Loneliness Questionnaire (RPLQ; Hayden-Thomson, 1989), which assesses social and emotional dimensions of loneliness (i.e., integration and intimacy) within the primary relational contexts of family and peer relationships. The sample consisted of 503 students aged 13–14 years, selected via stratified random sampling. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the four-factor model, which demonstrated the best fit to the data and yielded high standardized factor loadings. Internal consistency indices were high across all dimensions, and convergent, discriminant, and concurrent validity were supported. Measurement invariance across gender was also supported at the configural, metric, and scalar (threshold) levels. Overall, the findings indicate that the Greek version of the RPLQ is a valid and reliable instrument for the assessment of adolescent loneliness.

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Big data and big data analytics will unavoidably change the role of accountants. This paper considers the impact of big data on accounting and auditing. Financial accountants need to move beyond the book-keeping process and become key information providers to decision-makers. That upturns accountants’ consulting role and their ability to think strategically, providing critical help in management decision making. The relationship between managers and management accountants becomes closer and more effective because of big data. Management accountants can use additional analytical methods to detect processes and product excellence, combined with diminishing cost. Big data and big data analytics in auditing ensure audit quality and fraud detection. Upgraded information systems and automation in business procedures diminish the need for staff participation. Inevitably, the skills of accountants and knowledge must be associated with big data and big data analytics and modern accountants must develop an analytics mindset by being familiar with data and technologies.

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The current study focuses on earnings management as a significant determinant of the sticky cost phenomenon, for explaining both firm-level cost behaviour and cross-country differences in cost behaviour. We combine firm-level incentives to manipulate earnings with country-level differences in earnings management practices to provide a richer understanding of the effects of these practices to cost stickiness. Using a sample of G-7 countries (France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada, UK and USA) we find that cost stickiness is mitigated in the pervasiveness of earnings management.

This study explores the integration of geomythology and geoeducation within urban geotourism, focusing on the potential of geosites in Athens as platforms for promoting environmental awareness and cultural heritage preservation. Geomythology, by linking geological features with cultural narratives, offers a unique approach to interpreting natural landmarks, enhancing the educational and experiential value of geosites. Through this interdisciplinary framework, visitors can develop a deeper understanding of both geoscience and local history, fostering a connection with the environment. The study highlights the use of the innovative Geoeducational Assessment Method (GEOAM), which evaluates geosites based on their geoeducational potential, sustainability, and visitor engagement. This methodology provides a comprehensive assessment of geosites, identifying areas for improvement and offering insights into their role in sustainable urban geotourism. By incorporating geomythology and geoeducation, this approach aims to contribute to sustainable tourism in Athens, fostering geoethical awareness that promotes long-term environmental stewardship.

BACKGROUND: Myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) is a heterogeneous condition with variable outcomes. The prognostic value of common clinical risk factors for major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) and all-cause mortality remains unclear. This study systematically evaluates associations between traditional risk factors and adverse outcomes in MINOCA. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to assess pooled hazard ratios (HRs) for clinical variables associated with MACEs and all-cause mortality. Eligible studies reporting HRs with at least 6 months of follow-up were included. Random-effects models were used to derive pooled estimates. RESULTS: Eleven studies including 12,081 patients were analyzed. Over a mean follow-up of 49.2 months, pooled MACEs incidence was 17% (95% CI: 11-26%) and all-cause mortality was 10% (95% CI: 8-14%). Older age increased the risk of MACEs (HR: 1.02; 95% CI: 1.01-1.04), while higher BMI was protective (HR: 0.92; 95% CI: 0.86-0.99). For all-cause mortality, significant predictors included age (HR: 1.04 per year), diabetes (HR: 1.33; 95% CI: 1.07-1.64), creatinine (HR: 1.01; 95% CI: 1.0009-1.02), and STEMI-pattern presentation (HR: 2.85; 95% CI: 1.09-7.44). Higher BMI (HR: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.82-0.98) and dyslipidemia (HR: 0.83; 95% CI: 0.76-0.90) were associated with lower mortality. CONCLUSION: Only select clinical variables predict outcomes in MINOCA, while many traditional MI risk factors do not. These findings highlight the need for MINOCA-specific risk models and targeted management strategies.

: The triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index is an accessible surrogate marker of insulin resistance and has been increasingly investigated for its prognostic relevance in cardiovascular disease. However, evidence regarding its predictive value for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACSs) remains inconsistent. This study systematically assessed the association between TyG index and the risk of MACEs in individuals with ACS. : Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched through October 2025. Ten observational cohort studies including 32,751 ACS patients were analyzed. Studies reporting fully adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for the association between TyG index and MACEs were eligible. A random-effects model was used to pool effect sizes expressed as adjusted HRs per 1-unit increase in the TyG index. Heterogeneity, sensitivity analyses, publication bias assessment, and meta-regression were conducted. : Higher TyG index values were significantly associated with increased MACE risk (pooled adjusted HR 1.45, 95% CI 1.25-1.68, I = 80%). Leave-one-out analysis confirmed robustness. Meta-regression analysis suggested a stronger association in cohorts consisting exclusively of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, with a trend toward larger effect estimates in smaller studies, potentially contributing to the observed heterogeneity. Despite small-study effects, trim-and-fill-adjusted estimates remained significant (HR 1.26, 95% CI 1.05-1.52). : An elevated TyG index is independently associated with higher MACE risk in ACS patients and may be considered as an additive metabolic risk marker in combination with established risk stratification tools, pending further prospective validation.

Abstract This work aims to constructively use the differences between physics, as a typical representative branch of science, and biology, to enhance science education. It advocates for the use of a common science, technology, engineering, and mathematics teaching framework as a pedagogical tool for conveying concepts related to the epistemology of these two disciplines, highlighting their epistemological distinctions. Notable disparities include the absence of “universal” laws in biology, combined with the presence of a unifying theory in its instruction. Additionally, the differing roles of experimentation, mathematics, and history in these fields are examined. The text also addresses the distinction between the concepts of “social implications” and “social science,” alongside a discussion of essentialism in physics compared to the non-typological “population perspective” in biology, where the constant interplay of random errors and mutations serves as the universal driving force behind all biological phenomena. Keywords

• differences
• physics/biology
• didactics
• NOS

Human breast milk is a complex biological matrix that plays a central role in infant nutrition and development. It may also serve as a route of exposure to pharmaceutical residues following maternal drug use. Quantitative data on the transfer of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) into breast milk are essential to support their safe use during lactation, however, available analytical methods remain limited. This study reports the development and validation of a rapid and sensitive hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HILIC–ESI/MS) method for the simultaneous quantitation of tenoxicam, meloxicam, piroxicam, and the metabolite 5′-hydroxypiroxicam in human breast milk. Sample preparation involves simple protein precipitation procedure using only 25 μL of human breast milk. Chromatographic separation is achieved within 8 min. The method was validated over the range of 20 to 2000 ng mL−1, with a limit of quantitation of 20 ng mL−1 and correlation coefficients greater than 0.998. This is the first HILIC–ESI/MS method for the simultaneous quantitation of the targeted analytes in human breast milk. The validated HILIC–ESI/MS method was subsequently applied to screen breast milk samples collected from ten lactating women donating to a hospital milk bank. Although oxicam NSAIDs were not detected in this cohort, the method is well-suited for targeted screening of human milk in clinical or surveillance settings, including milk banks and pharmacovigilance studies.

This study attempts to provide insight into the origins of aloneness and loneliness by comparatively and jointly examining the views of psychoanalysts and researchers Margaret Mahler and Daniel Stern. Their influential theories combine the developmental and the clinical perspective and have the potential to offer a deeper understanding of these universal and fundamental experiences. First, Mahler’s and Stern’s views on aloneness and loneliness are organized and presented in detail. Reformulations and critiques are also reported. Next, the two models are examined in relation to each other regarding the issues of aloneness and loneliness. Points of convergence and divergence are identified and discussed. These points revolve around the following issues: the onset of aloneness and loneliness experiences; the nature and developmental trajectories of aloneness and loneliness; the interpersonal context within which this development takes place; the ability to cope with loneliness and the factors that facilitate or hinder the development of this ability; and the related psychopathological pathways with their clinical implications.

  This study discusses the sustained unpaid gendered caregiving services—including the discriminatory parental time-allocation patterns—that define and determine the unpaid female labor model observed globally. In employing a comparative and integrative literature analysis, drawing from peer-reviewed academic articles, research reports, surveys, fact sheets, and international case studies across different disciplines, this paper subsequently focuses on Greece. Sustained caregiving responsibilities and extensive unpaid care and services provided by women—and especially mothers—have been creating barriers to women’s employment and employability. The care burden impact along with the flexibility stigma, the ambition gap and the motherhood penalty have been reducing women’s employability, stalling the march towards equality. When it comes to men’s caregiving, change is happening, but not fast enough. As regards parental time allocation, current studies show that Greece is one of the most challenging countries for working mothers in Europe, societal expectations repeatedly demanding that women prioritize family over employment. Greek women’s labor market performance is deteriorating, while that of men’s is improving or left unaffected. Female employment in Greece is still the second lowest in the EU—just above Italy—and lags far behind the EU average. There seems to be no child penalty for men in Greek society, whereas women’s employment decreases by as much as 37.9% when the first child arrives. Greek women with children have been forced to excel in parental time allocation, literally becoming experts in time management. They provide most of the housework and childcare services in heterosexual dual-earner couple households. Research confirms that motherhood is punished in the Greek labor market. The motherhood penalty in Greece results in substantial lifetime income loss for women: lower employment rates; reduced career prospects and income; pressures to work part-time, stay home or accept less demanding positions/salaries, and inevitably lower pensions. In conclusion, among European countries, Greece is not the place to have a child. The childcare gap in Greece, despite declining birthrates, makes it extremely hard for mothers to return to work after childbirth or excel in their careers. Accordingly, this paper contributes to the research in the field by re-addressing the gender gaps and provides additional and targeted recommendations on how to eliminate the discriminatory gendered time-allocation pattern, namely the sustained and deep-rooted gender gaps or discriminatory patterns: e.g., childcare gap, employment gap, wage gap, leadership gap and pension gap.   KEYWORDS: flexibility, gender, parental time allocation, childcare gap, motherhood penalty, pension gap, stupid curve

A LAnKe (also known as a Filippov algebra or a Lie algebra of the n-th kind) is a vector space equipped with a skew-symmetric n-linear form that satisfies the generalized Jacobi identity. Friedmann, Hanlon, Stanley and Wachs have shown that the symmetric group acts on the multilinear part of the free LAnKe on 2n-1 generators as an irreducible representation. They announced that the multilinear component on 3n-2 generators decomposes as a direct sum of two irreducible symmetric group representations and a proof was given recently in a subsequent paper by Friedmann, Hanlon and Wachs. In the present paper we provide a proof of the later statement. The two proofs are substantially different.

Skyros Island, the largest island of the Sporades Complex (NW Aegean Sea, Greece), preserves a geologically diverse record spanning from the Upper Permian to the Quaternary, including crystalline and non-metamorphosed carbonate rocks, ophiolitic rocks and mélanges, medium-grade metamorphic units, rare Miocene volcanic rocks, and impressive fossil-bearing sediments and tufa deposits, together with historically significant quarry and mining landscapes. Through a comprehensive evaluation of the geological heritage of Skyros, this study proposes a transferable, results-based framework for geoconservation, geoeducation, and tourism space management within a geopark context. A systematic inventory of twenty (20) geosites, including six (6) flagship case studies, was established based on scientific value, dominant geodiversity type, risk of degradation, accessibility, educational and tourism potential. The assessment integrates the Scientific Value and Risk of Degradation criteria with complementary management and sustainability indicators. The results demonstrate consistently high scientific value across the selected geosites, with several reaching maximum or near-maximum scores due to their rarity, integrity, and reference character at a regional to international scale. Although some geosites exhibit elevated degradation risk, overall vulnerability is considered manageable through targeted conservation measures and spatially explicit visitor management. Based on the assessment results, a network of thematic georoutes was developed and evaluated using route-level indicators, including number of geosites, route length, educational potential, tourism suitability, accessibility, and contribution to responsible geotourism. The study demonstrates how integrated geosite and georoute assessment can support sustainable land management and confirms that Skyros Island meets key criteria for inclusion in the Hellenic Geoparks Network, providing a robust scientific basis for future UNESCO Global Geopark designation.

Abstract Medicanes are high-impact weather systems in the Mediterranean region, associated with floodings, severe damage and human casualties. While there has been continuous effort to understand the dynamic aspects of these systems, little is known about the underlying cloud-scale processes, which cannot be resolved explicitly, consisting a notorious source of uncertainty in atmospheric models. In this study a numerical model with comprehensive Secondary Ice Production (SIP) descriptions is used to investigate the impact of SIP on the evolution of medicane Qendresa. SIP refers to processes that can generate small cloud-ice crystals in concentrations exceeding those produced by primary ice nucleation, promoting cloud glaciation and precipitation. However, its effects on medicane thermodynamics have not been considered before. Our results indicate that improving SIP representation in the model leads to a more accurate prediction of the cyclone track, resulting in improved precipitation patterns, particularly in the regions where extreme precipitation is observed.

As the frequency and severity of extreme weather events may increase due to climate change, understanding their impacts on water systems, resources, and infrastructure becomes very important. This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on how extreme storms and floods disrupt interrelated elements comprising water systems by examining the case of Storm Daniel, which struck the Thessaly region of Greece in September 2023. Using a multi-source approach, including field data, institutional reports, scientific assessments, and publications, the study systematically identifies and categorizes the impacts of the storm and the ensuing flood across surface waters, drinking water supply, and wastewater infrastructure and other water-related systems through various mechanisms. The findings provide an overview of how such extreme storms may affect such systems and reveal widespread, interconnected disruptions that highlight systemic vulnerabilities in both natural and engineered systems, synthesizing these impact pathways. The study presents evidence of poor resilience against extreme events and climate change hazards in water-related infrastructure.

Global urbanization has promoted to an increasing scale of construction projects, thereby making the optimization of construction project organization design a critical task in engineering management. However, conventional methods relying on empirical decision-making suffer from issues like low resource allocation efficiency, many difficulties in coordinating multi-objective conflicts and insufficient dynamic adjustment capabilities. To address these issues, we propose the first multi-objective extension of the Animated Oat Optimization algorithm (MOAOO), which represents a pioneering contribution in transforming the single-objective AOO into a multi-objective optimizer for construction project organization design. The developed algorithm fundamentally extends the biological mechanism of Animated Oat Optimization introducing several key innovations: (a) a novel hybrid position update rule combining Elite Reference Points and stochastic perturbations to prevent premature convergence; (b) an innovative three-layer constraint processing mechanism ensuring the generation of feasible solutions; and (c) a dual-threshold convergence monitoring system for early termination. Notably, we establish MOAOO as the inaugural multi-objective variant of AOO, integrating dynamic elite retention strategies, non-dominated sorting, and dynamic archive mechanisms to enable effective collaborative optimization of three conflicting goals. Enough experiments on ZDT test functions demonstrate that the designed MOAOO method shows competitive performance compared to advanced algorithms such as Pre-DEMO, MOEA/D-OED, and Pi-MOEA in terms of hypervolume inverted generational distance and the Spacing metrics. The indicator is improved in certain configurations. In an engineering case study, MOAOO reduces resource fluctuation by 72.7% in the compromise solution while achieving a balanced duration (279 days) and cost ($1.34 M). Moreover, the proposed algorithm converges in 118 iterations on average, thereby verifying its practical value in construction scheduling.

ABSTRACT Inflation, defined as the trend of the continuous increasing of the general level of prices within a country's economy during a time period, affects both the private and public sectors of the economy. Policy makers have the need to control and stabilize the rate of inflation at low levels to achieve economic growth and prosperity. Particularly, they use the rate of inflation as a measure to diagnose economic problems and then to apply the corresponding macroeconomic policies. So, inflation rate forecasting must be accurate, and the measurement of the inflation rate, which is usually dependent on the consumer price index (CPI), should be as accurate as possible. Although there are many different ways to anticipate the CPI, the most accurate methods are those that use artificial neural network models. These methods usually outperform the traditional statistical-based forecasting techniques. This study spans the period from January 2015 to December 2024 using monthly, non-seasonally adjusted data from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Since WASD (weights and structure determination) neural networks have been demonstrated to address the drawbacks of traditional back-propagation neural networks, like poor training speed and local minimum, a three-layer power-activation WASD neural network model, termed WASDCPI, is taken into consideration. The WASDCPI model performs better than other well-known machine learning techniques for predicting the CPI of countries, including the USA, UK, Germany, France, India, Switzerland, Korea, and the Slovak Republic. All the data analysis is being conducted using the MATLAB environment.

Scholars have put a lot of emphasis on time-varying linear matrix equations (LMEs) problems because of its importance in science and engineering. The problem of determining the time-varying LME’s minimum-norm least-squares solution (MLLE) is therefore tackled in this work. This is achieved by the use of NHZNN, a recently developed neutrosophic logic/fuzzy adaptive high-order zeroing neural network technique. The NHZNN is an advancement on the conventional zeroing neural network (ZNN) technique, which has shown great promise in solving time-varying tasks. To address the MLLE task for arbitrary-dimensional time-varying matrices, three novel ZNN models are presented. The models perform exceptionally well, as demonstrated by two simulation studies and two real-world applications to acoustic source tracking.

We establish an integration theory for singular subalgebroids, by diffeological groupoids. To do so, we single out a class of diffeological groupoids satisfying specific properties, and we introduce a differentiation-integration procedure under which they correspond to singular subalgebroids. Our definition of integration distinguishes the holonomy groupoid from the graph, although both differentiate to the original singular subalgebroid: the holonomy groupoid satisfies a certain submersive property, while the graph does not.

Preserving the structural integrity of biomimetic foldamers upon surface deposition is essential for their integration into functional molecular architectures and devices. When assembled in well-ordered monolayers, these molecules can exhibit distinctive characteristics. In this study, we investigate the electrospray-controlled ion beam deposition of foldamer molecules in an ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) environment on an Au(111) surface and examine how their conformation depends on the mean landing energy during deposition. At a low mean landing energy of about 0.6 eV, intact foldamers are observed on the surface, whereas higher landing energies predominantly result in unfolded molecules and partially folded states. Additionally, annealing of the substrate converts folded conformations into unfolded ones. These results highlight the importance of soft-landing conditions to maintain hydrogen-bond-stabilized architectures on surfaces, offering a model platform for studying the structure–function relationship of surface-supported thermolabile biomolecules.Preserving the structural integrity of biomimetic foldamers upon surface deposition is essential for their integration into functional molecular architectures and devices. When assembled in well-ordered monolayers, these molecules can exhibit distinctive characteristics. In this study, we investigate the electrospray-controlled ion beam deposition of foldamer molecules in an ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) environment on an Au(111) surface and examine how their conformation depends on the mean landing energy during deposition. At a low mean landing energy of about 0.6 eV, intact foldamers are observed on the surface, whereas higher landing energies predominantly result in unfolded molecules and partially folded states. Additionally, annealing of the substrate converts folded conformations into unfolded ones. These results highlight the importance of soft-landing conditions to maintain hydrogen-bond-stabilized architectures on surfaces, offering a model platform for studying the structure–function relationship of surface-supported thermolabile biomolecules.

The balance between liquid and ice in clouds remains a major challenge in climate modeling, largely due to uncertainties in ice-related processes. We investigate the relative importance of four microphysical processes—primary ice nucleation (PIN), secondary ice production (SIP), sedimentation, and transport of ice crystals—for the supercooled liquid fraction (SLF) in mixed-phase clouds using three global climate models: EC-Earth3-AerChem, NorESM2-MM, and ECHAM6.3-HAM2.3. All models identify PIN as the dominant influence on SLF at cold temperatures in high northern latitudes, but diverge elsewhere and for higher temperatures. Implementing a unified SIP parameterization produced varied model responses, revealing fundamental differences in how microphysical processes interact within each model framework. These discrepancies suggest that each model prioritizes different processes in shaping the cloud phase. Such divergence may limit the reliability of conclusions regarding microphysical processes drawn from any single model.

BackgroundCognitive impairment is a major determinant of functional outcome in psychotic spectrum disorders. Among cognitive domains, motor response inhibition has received limited longitudinal investigation. The present study examined the temporal course of inhibitory performance and its relationship with dimensional psychopathology in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Methods Thirty-eight outpatients (23 schizophrenia spectrum, 15 bipolar spectrum) from the e-Prevention project were followed for up to 26 months. At monthly or bi-monthly intervals, participants completed a computerized Go/No-Go task assessing accuracy, response speed and intra-individual variability of response speed. Linear mixed-effects models evaluated the effects of time, diagnosis and longitudinal change in symptom severity on performance, controlling for medication and neuropsychological variables. Results Accuracy declined over time in schizophrenia but slightly improved in bipolar disorder, indicating divergent longitudinal trajectories (F = 9.02, p = .007). Time had no effect on response speed and intra-individual variability of response speed in either group. Increased positive symptom severity was associated with reduced accuracy in bipolar disorder but not in schizophrenia (F = 4.85, p = .036). Finally, greater speed intra-individual variability of response speed correlated with higher disorganization scores across diagnoses (F = 5.54, p = .027). Conclusions This study provides preliminary evidence that inhibitory control exhibits distinct temporal patterns in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Schizophrenia could be marked by gradual accuracy decline, while in bipolar disorder, accuracy may show relative stability modulated by positive symptoms. Future work on larger samples should incorporate neurophysiology/neuroimaging, to elucidate the underlying neural mechanisms of these differences.

Bladder cancer (BlCa) exhibits a highly heterogeneous molecular landscape and treatment response, underlining the pressing need for personalized prognosis. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) constitutes the most abundant RNA modification, modulates RNA biology/metabolism, and maintains cellular homeostasis, with its dysregulation involved in cancer initiation and progression. Herein, we evaluated the clinical value of METTL3 m6A methyltransferase, the main catalytic component of m6A methylation machinery, in improving BlCa patients' risk stratification and prognosis. The screening cohort of the study included 213 patients. The UROMOL (n = 535) was analyzed as a validation cohort for non-muscle-invasive BlCa (NMIBC), while the TCGA-BLCA (n = 412) and Mariathasan et al. (n = 348) cohorts were analyzed for muscle-invasive BlCa (MIBC). Disease recurrence/progression and patients' mortality were assessed as clinical endpoints for NMIBC and MIBC, respectively. Internal validation of Cox regression models was conducted using bootstrap analysis, while the clinical utility for patient prognosis was evaluated through decision curve analysis. Reduced METTL3 expression was correlated with muscle-invasive disease and tumors of advanced stage. Loss of METTL3 expression at diagnosis was strongly associated with higher risk of short-term progression (HR = 2.903, 95% CI: 1.303-6.464, p = 0.006) to invasive stages in NMIBC and with worse survival of MIBC patients (HR = 1.908, 95% CI: 1.020-3.567, p = 0.042). Consistently, validation cohorts confirmed the poor treatment outcomes in patients exhibiting loss of METTL3. Finally, METTL3-fitted multivariate models improved risk stratification and offered superior clinical benefit for NMIBC and MIBC prognostication compared to clinically established disease markers. Overall, loss of METTL3 expression correlates with inferior treatment outcomes in BlCa, driving more accurate risk stratification and ameliorating patients' prognosis in BlCa.

Tantalum disulfide (1T-TaS₂) is a quasi-two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) that exhibits a series of charge density wave (CDW) transitions upon cooling and heating. These collective electronic phases can be tuned or disrupted by external stimuli such as pressure, electric fields, or illumination, leading to metastable or hidden metallic states. In nanoscale crystals of 1T-TaS₂, rapid cooling suppresses the insulating commensurate CDW (CCDW) phase and stabilizes a metastable metallic state, known as the super-cooled nearly commensurate CDW (SC-NCCDW) phase. However, the atomic-scale structure and microscopic origin of this state remain elusive. Here, we combine electrical transport measurements with structural characterization to elucidate the nature of the SC-NCCDW phase in 1T-TaS₂ nanocrystals. Temperature-dependent X-ray diffraction reveals that, under gradual cooling, the NCCDW-to-CCDW transition is accompanied by lattice-volume expansion. In contrast, this anomaly is strongly suppressed upon rapid cooling, correlating with the stabilization of the SC-NCCDW state. Complementary high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) shows that rapid cooling produces a mixed-phase configuration containing structural motifs of both NCCDW and CCDW phases, indicating that the SC-NCCDW represents an intermediate structural configuration frozen by kinetic constraints. These findings provide, to our knowledge, the first direct structural evidence of the SC-NCCDW state and offer a mechanistic understanding of cooling-rate-controlled metastability in layered correlated compounds such as 1T-TaS₂.

The present study investigates alterations in the coastal area of the Acheloos deltaic complex (W. Greece) during the period 1945 – 2020 and the shoreline response to anticipated sea-level rise under various RCP scenarios. The authors used two methods of analysis: area measurement in non-linear sections of the coast, and longitudinal displacement of the coastline using DSAS. The future state of the coastal area analyzed by considering IPCC predictions, adjusted for local conditions. The results reveal severe erosion in the entire study area, reaching 250 m (~3.4 m/yr) in places, mostly due to the diversion of the main Acheloos River channel, whereas coastal protection works constructed in the 90s have partially mitigated the erosional rate. The IPCC predictions for 2100 show a continuous shrinking of the delta by 10% to 20% of the present area, while under the most extreme climate scenario, deltaic area loss could reach 60%. Regardless of the prevailing scenario, it was estimated that for each 0.1 m of sea-level rise, the average land loss at the deltaic area is approximately 2.8 km2.

Karst caves preserve complex morphologies that reflect long-term landscape evolution while also presenting significant challenges for documentation and stability assessment. This study develops and applies an integrated workflow that combines multi-sensor close-range remote sensing equipment and techniques, to produce high-resolution 3D models of two of the most popular show caves in Greece. The combined datasets enabled the construction of detailed geomorphological maps and a quantitative description of the cave interiors, including the spatial distribution of speleothems. Because manual counting and measurement of speleothems is often impractical, a semi-automatic procedure was implemented based on geometric feature extraction, morphometric filtering and connected-component segmentation. The method reproduced manual counts accurately in areas where speleothems are well separated, and it also captured dense clusters that are difficult to document visually. The structural configuration of both caves was examined through fracture analysis performed directly on the 3D models, and these structural data were incorporated into three-dimensional distinct element simulations to evaluate potential instability mechanisms. The combined geomorphological and mechanical results demonstrate how multi-sensor 3D mapping can support cave management by providing a basis for hazard assessment and establishing a framework suitable for future multi-temporal monitoring.

This study addresses the problem of stock investment strategy, aiming to select the optimal k (k < n) stocks from a set of n stocks within a distributed topology to maximize investment returns. To this end, we propose a dynamic and adaptive neural network model based on the distributed k-winner-take-all (k-WTA) protocol. Firstly, we reformulate the k-WTA problem as a constrained quadratic programming problem and utilize the Sigmoid activation function to relax equality and inequality constraints. Secondly, by combining the simplified constraints with the graph-based topology of stock interactions, we construct a Lagrangian function and develop a time-evolving dynamic neural network whose neuron states update continuously until convergence, reflecting temporal adaptability and convergence dynamics. Unlike traditional centralized methods, the proposed network allows each stock node to communicate only with its connected neighbors, ensuring decentralized computation and scalability. We further present the hardware implementation and theoretically prove the model’s stability and convergence under connected graph topologies. Experiments include six static-input tests (different stock counts, parameters, and Gaussian noise) and dynamic validation using real-world stock data from 30 assets over 50 trading days. All seven experimental results confirm the feasibility, effectiveness, and robustness of the proposed model. Comparative analysis with existing WTA models also demonstrates superior adaptability and convergence performance.

We present a theoretical framework for electromagnetic scattering by particles with a permittivity that is periodically varying in time, based on a perturbative approach. Within this framework, we derive explicit expressions for the scattering matrix of the dynamic system in a first-order Born approximation, relating it directly to the corresponding static problem. We show that inelastic scattering amplitudes are governed by overlap integrals between static modes at the input and output frequencies. Using this insight, we analyze scattering from a time-modulated, isotropic, dielectric sphere and a high-permittivity dielectric cylinder, and demonstrate how modal orthogonality can suppress inelastic channels, while appropriate tuning of geometric parameters can significantly enhance them. In particular, we show that cylindrical resonators support strong inelastic scattering when resonance-to-resonance optical transitions, induced by the temporal variation, involve a high-Q supercavity mode. Comparison with full time-Floquet calculations confirms that the first-order Born approximation remains quantitatively accurate for modest modulation amplitudes and provides clear physical intuition for frequency conversion and resonance-mediated scattering processes in time-modulated photonic resonators.

In recent years, the computation of the time-varying matrix (TVM) Moore–Penrose inverse, or pseudoinverse, has become increasingly important for addressing dynamic problems across various fields, including engineering, physics, and computer science. This work explores the application of the zeroing neural network (ZNN) methodology, a state-of-the-art technique, to efficiently compute the TVM pseudoinverse. A novel ZNN model is proposed for this purpose, representing the first such contribution in the literature. Its effectiveness is benchmarked against a widely adopted ZNN framework. Furthermore, the study introduces a high-performance finite-time neutrosophic logic/fuzzy adaptive activation function, derived from the commonly used sign-bi-power nonlinear activation function, and provides an in-depth investigation of its properties and advantages. Through three illustrative comparative numerical simulations and a real-world robotic motion tracking application, the proposed model and activation function demonstrate outstanding effectiveness in solving the TVM pseudoinversion problem for arbitrary-dimensional matrices.

BACKGROUND: Ultrasound (US)-guided axillary vein puncture (AVP) is an established technique for cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) implantation. Yet real-world data concerning shifting from conventional venous access into US-guided AVP are not widely available. METHODS: This is a single-center prospective registry reporting safety (complications) and efficacy (success rate: i.e., accomplishment of the vein access utilizing only the initially employed approach) of self-taught US-guided AVP integration into the standard workflow of CIED procedures. RESULTS: A total of 539 patients (mean age 71.5 ± 12.4 years old, 78.7% males) were treated in our institution over a three-year period. Regarding CIED type and lead number, 58.3% used an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, 32% used permanent pacemakers, and two leads were involved in 65.8% of the cases and three leads in 8.9%. Before integration of US-guided AVP, the venous access success rate was 93.5%. The US-guided AVP success rate was 377/400 procedures (94.2%). After the first semester of US-guided AVP utilization, a pattern of increased success rate was observed ( = 0.002) and remained stable over the following semesters. No major complication (periprocedural or 30-day mortality, hemothorax, pneumothorax and tamponade) occurred after US AVP integration in our workflow. CONCLUSIONS: The integration of US-guided AVP in a self-taught manner is feasible among electrophysiologists with experience in US-guided vascular access. A high success rate can be reached quickly and safely.

A search for the standard model Higgs boson decaying to a charm quark-antiquark pair, H → cc, produced in association with a top quark-antiquark pair (ttH) is presented. The search is performed with data from proton-proton collisions at √ s = 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138/fb. Advanced machine learning techniques are employed for jet flavor identification and event classification. The Higgs boson decay to a bottom quark-antiquark pair is measured simultaneously and the observed ttH (H → bb) event rate relative to the standard model expectation is 0.91 +0.26−0.22. The observed (expected) upper limit on the product of production cross section and branching fraction σ(ttH) B(H → cc) is 0.11 (0.13) pb at 95% confidence level, corresponding to 7.8 (8.7) times the standard model prediction. When combined with the previous search for H → cc via associated production with a W or Z boson, the observed (expected) 95% confidence interval on the Higgs-charm Yukawa coupling modifier, κc, is |κc| < 3.5 (2.7), the most stringent constraint to date.

The present study investigates the social and demographic characteristics of participants in the contemporary running movement in Greece, interpreting the phenomenon through the theoretical lens of postmodernity. Drawing on empirical data from 3,228 runners who participated in a large-scale running event, the research examines whether the Greek running movement constitutes merely a form of recreational physical activity or a distinct social and cultural field within the broader sports system. Beyond descriptive statistical mapping, the study integrates theories of new social movements, social stratification, social capital, and systems theory, alongside postmodern sociological perspectives (Habermas, Inglehart) to interpret the structural and symbolic dimensions of participation. The findings indicate that the running movement in Greece is predominantly composed of middle-to-upper social strata, characterized by high educational attainment and relatively stable income levels. Significant gender differences persist, with male participation remaining dominant, although female presence is steadily increasing. The results suggest that running has transcended the boundaries of individual exercise and has become a postmodern field of identity construction, value expression, and symbolic transformation of public space. Participants demonstrate strong elements of individualization combined with selective forms of collective belonging, reflecting broader value shifts toward self-realization, health, autonomy, and experiential lifestyles. The study concludes that the Greek running movement functions as a distinct sports subsystem and as a postmodern social movement that redefines the relationship between social stratification, identity, and the transformation of urban space.  

Social well-being is increasingly recognized as a crucial factor in defining and understanding health. In recent years, health issues have transcended the boundaries of medical science, which once held a dominant position under the positivist biomedical model. In today’s digital era, health is explored through a broader spectrum of disciplines, which include sociology, psychology, political economy, cognitive sciences and, notably, sports science. This study, following interdisciplinary paths, seeks to construct a theoretical framework that facilitates the analysis and examination of social well-being within the context of sports and exercise, addressing both the virtual and physical dimensions of reality.   Keywords: social well-being, digital-virtual world, avatars, athletic activity, sport exercises

The ability to confine light below the diffraction limit — coherently and without loss — has long been considered unattainable in transparent dielectrics. This limitation steered nanophotonics towards plasmonics, in which subwavelength confinement can be achieved at the expense of material absorption. Singular nanophotonics, also called singulonics, is an emerging regime in nanophotonics, which can overcome the trade-off between confinement and loss by leveraging the singular dispersion equation in lossless dielectric media, giving rise to highly localized singular modes, called narwhal wavefunctions. This framework establishes a rigorous, lossless pathway to sub-diffraction confinement, grounded in Maxwell’s equations and governed by the interplay between spatial and momentum uncertainties. This Perspective presents the theoretical foundations and experimental realizations of singular nanophotonics, contrasts it with conventional plasmonic and dielectric approaches and explores its broad implications and challenges.

In this work, we present a theoretical investigation of electron–surface optical phonon (SOP) interactions and Auger recombination processes in monolayer PtSe2 and PtS2 supported on polar dielectric substrates such as SiO2 and hBN. The analysis is based on a low-energy effective Hamiltonian describing the electronic structure near the K and K′ valleys of the Brillouin zone, combined with the Fröhlich interaction model to account for the coupling between charge carriers and substrate-induced optical phonons. The comparison between Auger recombination and SOP scattering is performed at a representative carrier density of n=1012 cm−2 within the investigated temperature range. We analyze the formation of polaronic states arising from the hybridization between electronic excitations and SOPs and evaluate the associated Rabi splitting energies and oscillator strengths. The temperature dependence of the SOP-induced scattering rates and the influence of the monolayer–substrate separation on carrier–phonon interactions are also examined. Our results show that electron–phonon coupling strongly depends on the dielectric properties of the supporting substrate, with larger anticrossing gaps predicted for hBN-supported structures compared with SiO2-supported systems. Auger recombination constitutes the dominant carrier relaxation channel within the investigated temperature range, whereas SOP scattering becomes increasingly significant at elevated temperatures, where both mechanisms approach a comparable inelastic phonon-limited regime. These findings highlight the role of dielectric engineering in controlling carrier relaxation dynamics in Pt-based TMDC heterostructures.

Trades are important objects in combinatorial design theory that may be realized as certain elements of kernels of inclusion matrices. Total trades were introduced recently by Ghorbani, Kamali and Khosravshahi, who showed that over a field of characteristic zero the vector space of trades decomposes into a direct sum of spaces of total trades. In this paper, we show that the vector space spanned by the permutations of a total trade is an irreducible representation of the symmetric group. As a corollary, the previous decomposition theorem is recovered. Also, a basis is obtained for the module of total trades in the spirit of Specht polynomials. More generally, in the second part of the paper we consider intersection matrices and determine the irreducible decompositions of their images. This generalizes previously known results concerning ranks of special cases.

Geomorphological change is a fundamental consequence of high-magnitude flood events, as extreme hydraulic forcing can rapidly reshape river channels, redistribute sediment, and alter floodplain connectivity. This study applies multi-temporal UAS-based Structure-from-Motion (SfM) photogrammetry to quantify flood-induced geomorphological changes along two representative reaches of the Lilas River (Evia Island, Central Greece) affected by the extreme August 2020 flash flood. High-resolution aerial surveys were conducted prior to the event (June 2018) and shortly after the flood (September 2020), producing Digital Surface Models (DSMs) and orthomosaics with a ground sampling distance of ~2.5 cm. Differential DSM analysis reveals pronounced spatial heterogeneity in erosion and deposition, with net erosional lowering locally exceeding 7 m and depositional aggradation reaching up to ~5 m after accounting for vegetation effects. Channel widening was the dominant response, with cross-sectional widths increasing by a factor of three to nine at selected locations, driven primarily by lateral bank erosion. The results highlight the strong interaction between extreme hydrological forcing, loose alluvial sediments, vegetation removal, and human interventions such as roads and engineered terraces. The study demonstrates how repeatable UAS–SfM workflows can provide quantitative evidence to support post-flood assessment, guide infrastructure adaptation, and inform river restoration and flood risk management in Mediterranean catchments prone to extreme events.

Growth of filamentous fungi is highly polarized requiring the coordinated apical delivery of cell wall components and plasma membrane (PM) material, primarily lipids and proteins, to hyphal tips via conventional vesicular secretion. Fungal growth also requires the tight coordination of exocytosis (secretion) with endocytosis and recycling of proteins and lipids, which occurs in a defined region behind the growing tip known as the endocytic collar. Here, we genetically characterized proteins tentatively implicated in the formation of endoplasmic reticulum-plasma membrane (ER-PM) contact sites, including Scs2/VAP, tricalbins and Ist2 homologues, in . We showed that among these proteins, only the single Scs2/VapA homologue is essential for normal fungal growth, and this requirement is due to the critical role of VapA in maintaining the polarized localization of apical cargoes, such as the lipid flippases DnfA and DnfB or the SNARE protein SynA. In mutants, these cargoes lose their polarized localization, a phenotype that correlates with the mislocalization of the AP-2 cargo adaptor complex, which is essential for the endocytosis and recycling of apical membrane components. Further analysis provides evidence linking the defect in apical cargo endocytosis observed in mutants to altered membrane lipid partitioning, suggesting that VapA contributes to lipid domain organization critical for cargo recycling. Strikingly, deletion of VapA does not impair the localization or endocytosis of non-polarized (subapical) plasma membrane transporters, indicating that the trafficking and biogenesis of polarized (apical) versus non-polarized (subapical) cargoes are differentially dependent on membrane lipid composition and domain-specific organization.

AbstractWord associations are investigated to shed light on the structure of the bilingual mental lexicon. It has been found that the linguistic level in the foreign language (FL) affects the word association responses in lexical availability tasks. Additionally, according to the Revised Hierarchical Model (Kroll & Stewart, 1994), FL word association responses are mediated through the first language (L1), with stronger mediation observed in low proficiency learners compared to high proficiency learners. To explore these issues further, a semantic fluency task was conducted using the stimulus “Fruits and vegetables”. This study examined and compared the word connections between the stimulus and the responses provided by 62 Greek learners of Spanish as a foreign language (SFL) of different proficiency levels according to CEFR (27 at the A level and 35 at the B level) in both their L1 and the FL. To analyze quantitative and qualitative aspects of the word associations found within each linguistic level in each language, the total number of responses and the total number of different responses in every set of responses were counted. Furthermore, the elicited answers were classified based on Precosky´s (2011) taxonomy of word associations. To find evidence of L1 mediation, common words produced in both the L1 and the FL were identified, indicating translation from the L1. The findings of this research primarily provide evidence of quantitative differences among the word associations of the two sets of answers and support the mediation of the L1 in both linguistic levels in the FL.

The attainment of adult status in Greece is a neglected research issue. Sociodemographic changes and the severity and long duration of the global financial crisis in this country (2008–2018) may have contributed to the delayed entry into adulthood, especially among university students. In this study, conducted during the financial crisis (2015), 814 university students (ages 18–25; M = 19.9) provided information on subjective adult status, subjective adult status with significant others, achievement of adulthood criteria, and several personal and contextual variables. Results showed that two thirds of the sample felt in-between adolescence and adulthood, thus supporting the existence of the emerging adulthood period. They felt more adult in work, university, and romantic relationships, and less adult with parents, friends, and siblings. The criteria achieved most were in the areas of Norm Compliance and Independence, whereas Role Transitions had been achieved the least. A variety of achievements, reflected in Independence, Norm Compliance, and Family Capacities criteria, and some concrete transitions were significantly associated with subjective adult status. Age, gender, parents' educational level, financial constraints, and financial concerns significantly and differentially predicted the achievement of several adulthood markers. Results provide insight into the attainment of adult status in a specific cohort of Greek youth during the aftermath of the Global Recession and underline the need for continuing research on the transition to adulthood in more recent cohorts of youth in this cultural context.

Complex-frequency excitations have recently attracted a lot of attention owing to their ability to solve a number of extraordinary challenges in photonics, such as overcoming losses without gain in metalenses and plasmonic waveguides and achieving virtual absorption. However, the totality of the works so far has been mainly computational or experimental, and a full theory of the complex dynamics enabled by these excitations is still missing. Here, we develop a fully analytical, exact time-domain theory for the dynamical scattering of these excitations by both sides of dielectric plates, which have been used to achieve virtual absorption. Our precise theoretical analysis confirms previous observations and, in addition, reveals a number of intriguing phenomena that were previously missed, such as discontinuities in the scattering of the outgoing electromagnetic field and release of the stored energy in distinct packets.

The Arctic region, one of the most vulnerable areas globally, faces severe climate change impacts, with rising sea levels and temperatures threatening local communities. Modern geoinformation tools provide a reliable, cost-efficient, and time-saving method for assessing these climate changes in Arctic coastal regions. This study focuses on Finland’s Arctic and sub-Arctic diverse coastline. The Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI) is used to assess the vulnerability of Finland’s coastlines, using advanced geoinformatics tools. Integrating high-resolution data from EMODnet, the National Land Survey of Finland Digital Elevation Model (DEM), and physical sources, the CVI includes six input parameters: geomorphology, coastal slope, shoreline change rates, mean wave height, tidal range, and relative sea-level change. The CVI results reveal pronounced spatial variability: 37% of the coastline is classified with very low vulnerability, primarily in the southern Gulf of Finland, and some northern segments, specifically part of Lapland, exhibit minimal susceptibility to coastal hazards. Conversely, the central Gulf of Bothnia shows high vulnerability (29%), with low and moderate vulnerability zones comprising 27% and 6%, respectively, and very high vulnerability at 1%. This assessment provides essential insights for sustainable coastal management in Finland by offering a replicable model for Arctic coastal assessments. This study supports policymakers and local communities in developing targeted adaptation strategies to enhance resilience against climate-driven coastal hazards.

Mitochondrial dysfunction is a shared hallmark of neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and tauopathies among others. Pathological alterations of the microtubule-associated protein Tau can disrupt mitochondrial dynamics, transport, and function, ultimately leading to neuronal toxicity and synaptic deficits. Understanding these processes is crucial for developing therapeutic interventions. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans serves as a powerful model to study mitochondrial morphology and Tau-induced neurotoxicity due to its well-characterized nervous system and genetic tractability. Here, we describe a robust methodology for assessing mitochondrial morphology, Tau aggregation, and neuronal integrity in a nematode model of tauopathy. By combining confocal laser scanning microscopy and motility assays, we provide a comprehensive framework for investigating mitochondrial deficits. This approach offers valuable insights into the interplay between Tau pathology and mitochondrial dysfunction, thereby advancing our understanding of neurodegenerative mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets.

Geoethics, which addresses the ethical, social, and cultural dimensions of geoscientific activities, is essential for fostering responsible human engagement with the Earth, particularly within frameworks such as UNESCO Global Geoparks (UGGps). UGGps play a critical role in safeguarding geological heritage and advancing sustainable regional development. This study introduces the Geoethical Awareness Scale (GAS), a 32-item instrument developed across 16 thematic axes, designed to assess geoethical awareness. We analyzed responses from n = 798 residents across nine Hellenic UGGps using Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses, retaining items with factor loadings of ±0.30 or higher. Six factors emerged: (1) geological heritage conservation and sustainable georesource use, (2) community engagement and collaborative governance, (3) sustainability through geoenvironmental education, (4) environmental challenges and risk adaptation, (5) sustainable geotourism, and (6) climate awareness and ecosystem resilience. Collectively, these factors explained 60.12% of the variance, with Cronbach’s alpha values demonstrating acceptable to excellent reliability. Structural Equation Modeling confirmed the scale’s validity, with fit indices indicating acceptable model adequacy. Incremental indices suggested moderate alignment, while parsimony-adjusted metrics supported a balance between model complexity and fit. Overall, the GAS demonstrated generalizability and sufficient sample robustness. Correlation analyses highlighted the role of geoeducation, organizational involvement, and direct experience in fostering pro-geoconservation attitudes. While perceptions of sustainable development and ecosystem resilience varied geographically across UGGps, community engagement and governance remained consistent, likely reflecting standardized policy frameworks. GAS offers a valuable tool for assessing geoethical awareness and underscores the importance of targeted geoeducation and participatory governance in promoting ethical geoscientific practices within UGGps and similar socioecological systems.

BACKGROUND: Nodal assessment in gallbladder cancer remains challenging, particularly in incidental gallbladder cancer. This understages the number of patients with node-positive disease, resulting in prognostic inaccuracy and insufficient adjuvant treatment. This study aimed to identify risk factors for positive nodes in gallbladder cancer and to compare prognostic discrimination of available nodal staging parameters. METHODS: This international cohort study assessed gallbladder cancer resections undertaken between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2020. Logistic regression was used to identify risk factors for node-positive status and develop a risk prediction score for positive nodes. Nodal staging models, including nodal site, number of positive nodes, and positive node ratio were compared for greatest prognostic discrimination in gallbladder cancer. RESULTS: A total of 3676 patients underwent gallbladder cancer resection across 133 centres in 41 countries. Tumour (T) stage (T2, P = 0.012; T3, P = 0.002; and T4, P < 0.001), lymphovascular and perineural infiltration (P < 0.001), and tumour differentiation (P < 0.001) carried the greatest risk of positive nodes. These three parameters comprised the OMEGA Node Positivity Prediction Score (OMEGA-NOPPS) with C-statistics of 0.81 (95% confidence interval 0.78 to 0.84) in the training data set and 0.79 (0.73 to 0.85) in the test data set for identification of node-positive status, highlighting a ≥ 20% increased risk of positive nodes in poorly differentiated tumours with lymphovascular and perineural infiltration despite T1 disease. CONCLUSION: Data from this large multicentre study confirmed that the number of positive nodes is the most discriminative prognostic model for nodal staging in gallbladder cancer. OMEGA-NOPPS provides three simple parameters to stratify nodal involvement according to risk. Incidental gallbladder cancer with lymphovascular and perineural infiltration and poorly differentiated tumours, including early T stages, should be considered for further treatment.

Processing of sensory stimuli generated by our own actions differs from that of externally generated stimuli. However, most evidence regarding this phenomenon concerns the processing of unisensory stimuli. A few studies have explored the effect of self-generated actions on multisensory stimuli and how it affects the integration of these stimuli. Most of them used abstract stimuli (e.g., flashes, beeps) rather than more natural ones such as sensations that are commonly correlated with actions that we perform in our everyday lives such as speech. In the current study, we explored the effect of self-generated action on the process of multisensory integration (MSI) during speech. We used a novel paradigm where participants were either listening to the echo of their own speech, while watching a video of themselves producing the same speech (“talk”, active condition), or they listened to their previously recorded speech and watched the prerecorded video of themselves producing the same speech (“listen”, passive condition). In both conditions, different stimulus onset asynchronies were introduced between the auditory and visual streams and participants were asked to perform simultaneity judgments. Using these judgments, we determined temporal binding windows (TBW) of integration for each participant and condition. We found that the TBW was significantly smaller in the active as compared to the passive condition indicating more accurate MSI. These results support the conclusion that sensory perception is modulated by self-generated action at the multisensory in addition to the unisensory level.

We perform a theoretical investigation of the electron–surface optical phonon (SOP) interaction in Van der Waals heterostructures (vdWHs) formed by monolayer graphene (1LG) and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs), using eigenenergies obtained from the tight-binding Hamiltonian for electrons. Our analysis reveals that the SOP interaction strength strongly depends on the specific TMDC material. TMDC layers generate localized SOP modes near the 1LG/TMDC interface, serving as effective scattering centers for graphene carriers through long-range Fröhlich coupling. This interaction leads to resonant coupling of electronic sub-levels with SOP, resulting in Rabi splitting of the electronon energy levels. We further explore the influence of different TMDCs, such as WS2, WSe2, MoS2, and MoSe2, on transport properties such as SOP-limited mobility, resistivity, conductivity, and scattering rates across various temperatures and charge carrier densities. Our analysis confirms that at elevated temperatures and low carrier densities, surface optical phonon scattering becomes a dominant factor in determining resistivity. Additionally, we investigate the Auger recombination process at the 1LG/TMDC interface, showing that both Auger and SOP scattering rates increase significantly at room temperature and higher, ultimately converging to constant values as the temperature rises. In contrast, their impact is minimal at lower temperatures. These results highlight the potential of 1LG/TMDC-based vdWHs for controlling key processes, such as SOP interactions and Auger recombination, paving the way for high-performance nanoelectronic and optoelectronic devices.

Heterojunction formation between BiVO4 nanomaterials and benchmark semiconductor photocatalysts has been keenly pursued as a promising approach to improve charge transport and charge separation via interfacial electron transfer for the photoelectrocatalytic degradation of recalcitrant pharmaceutical pollutants. In this work, a heterostructured TiO2/Mo-BiVO4 bilayer photoanode was fabricated by the deposition of a mesoporous TiO2 overlayer using the benchmark P25 titania catalyst on top of Mo-doped BiVO4 inverse opal films as the supporting layer, which intrinsically absorbs visible light below 490 nm, while offering improved charge transport. A porous P25/Mo-BiVO4 bilayer structure was produced from the densification of the inverse opal underlayer after post-thermal annealing, which was evaluated on photocurrent generation in aqueous electrolyte and the photoelectrocatalytic degradation of the refractory anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen under back-side illumination by visible and UV–Vis light. Significantly enhanced photoelectrochemical performance on both photocurrent density and pharmaceutical degradation was achieved for the bilayer structure with respect to the additive effect of the constituent layers, which was related to the improved light harvesting arising from the backscattering by the mesoporous TiO2 layer in combination with the favorable charge transfer at the TiO2/Mo-BiVO4 interface.

A new giant outburst of the Be X-ray binary RX J0520.5-6932 was detected and subsequently observed with several space-borne and ground-based instruments. This study presents a comprehensive analysis of the optical and X-ray data, focusing on the spectral and timing characteristics of selected X-ray observations. A joint fit of spectra from simultaneous observations performed by the X-ray telescope (XRT) on the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory (Swift) and Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope ARray (NuSTAR) provides broad-band parameter constraints, including a cyclotron resonant scattering feature (CRSF) at $32.2_{-0.7}^{+0.8}$ keV with no significant energy change since 2014, and a weaker Fe line. Independent spectral analyses of observations by the Lobster Eye Imager for Astronomy, Einstein Probe (EP), Swift-XRT, and NuSTAR demonstrate the consistency of parameters across different bands. Luminosity variations during the current outburst were tracked. The light curve of the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) aligns with the X-ray data in both 2014 and 2024. Spin evolution over 10 yr is studied after adding Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor data, improving the orbital parameters, with an estimated orbital period of 24.39 d, slightly differing from OGLE data. Despite intrinsic spin-up during outbursts, a spin-down of $\sim$0.04 s over 10.3 yr is suggested. For the new outburst, the pulse profiles indicate a complicated energy-dependent shape, with decreases around 15 and 25 keV in the pulsed fraction, a first for an extragalactic source. Phase-resolved NuSTAR data indicate variations in parameters such as flux, photon index, and CRSF energy with rotation phase.

As global life expectancy continues to rise, the need to understand and mitigate the effects of aging on human physiology has become increasingly important. Aging is characterized by cellular and functional decline, resulting in a higher prevalence of chronic diseases. Model organisms, such as Caenorhabditis elegans, provide valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying aging and serve as platforms for developing potential therapeutic interventions. This chapter highlights the utility of C. elegans in aging research by presenting three straightforward protocols: the lifespan assay, thrashing assay, and lipofuscin accumulation assay. These assays are designed to effectively assess key physiological aspects of organismal health and provide a reliable framework for monitoring the aging process and evaluating anti-aging compounds. Here, we demonstrate the application of these protocols using Urolithin A as an example, underscoring their efficacy in advancing our understanding of aging and contributing to the development of potential interventions.

Calcium signaling plays a pivotal role in diverse cellular processes through precise spatiotemporal regulation and interaction with effector proteins across distinct subcellular compartments. Mitochondria, in particular, act as central hubs for calcium buffering, orchestrating energy production, redox balance and apoptotic signaling, among others. While controlled mitochondrial calcium uptake supports ATP synthesis and metabolic regulation, excessive accumulation can trigger oxidative stress, mitochondrial membrane permeabilization, and cell death. Emerging findings underscore the intricate interplay between calcium homeostasis and mitophagy, a selective type of autophagy for mitochondria elimination. Although the literature is still emerging, this review delves into the bidirectional relationship between calcium signaling and mitophagy pathways, providing compelling mechanistic insights. Furthermore, we discuss how disruptions in calcium homeostasis impair mitophagy, contributing to mitochondrial dysfunction and the pathogenesis of common neurodegenerative diseases.

The anticipated rise in extreme flood events in the Eastern Mediterranean region indicates an increase in significant societal impacts that have the potential to extend beyond the flooded areas and affect multiple sectors. Despite the criticality of understanding storm and flood risk and how they propagate in modern interconnected societies, the scope and complexity of storm- and flood-triggered cascading effects are still poorly comprehended. This study explores the effects created by the extreme Storm Daniel, occurring in Thessaly, Greece in 2023, aiming to gather new evidence on the types and scale of these cascading effects by analyzing its impacts in the region through fieldwork and official data collection. The results, as a contribution to existing knowledge on cascade effects, provide insights into the nature, the extent, the propagation mechanisms, and the consequences of these triggering events leading to diverse cascade effects. The study identifies the interactions between different phenomena following this extreme storm event to offer a better understanding of how impacts propagate, and therefore a better understanding of future challenges connected with this type of cascading hazards framework, ultimately contributing to predicting and mitigating associated risks.

People living in prisons have higher mortality rates compared to the general population. We undertook a retrospective analysis of deaths recorded between 2010 and 2018 at the sole prison hospital in Greece (Korydallos Prison Special Health Centre for men) to assess the causes of death overall and by type of offence (drug-related or other), sociodemographic characteristics by cause of death, and mortality trends over time. Permission to access forensic reports and criminal files was obtained from the relevant authorities. Deaths were categorized as either non-natural (drug overdose, suicide, and homicide) or natural (cardiovascular disease, cancer, and others). Between 2010 and 2018, 236 deaths were reported; 80.9% were natural deaths, and 19.1% were non-natural deaths. The primary causes of death were circulatory disease (34.7%), cancer (17.8%), suicide (10.2%), respiratory disease (8.9%), and overdose (6.4%). Suicide and overdose accounted for 53.3% and 33.3% of non-natural deaths, respectively. The mean (SD) age at death was 52.4 (16.2) years, with individuals experiencing non-natural deaths being significantly younger than those experiencing natural deaths [39.1 (10.5) vs. 55.5 (15.7), p < 0.001]. Among individuals incarcerated for drug-related offences, 23.8% died from non-natural causes, with drug overdose accounting for 60% of non-natural deaths. A significant peak in mortality was observed in 2013. This study emphasizes the need to closely monitor mortality rates, including drug-related fatalities, to implement suicide prevention training as well as measures to prevent deaths by overdose, including comprehensive harm reduction strategies, overdose education, and naloxone training.

Τhe idea that social influences and social interactions play a central role on individual economic decisions has had a long presence in the history of economics. With the emergence of marginalism, this idea went into background and the concept of atomistic individual became established in mainstream economic rationality. Starting in the 1970’s, there were some attempts to reintroduce non-atomistic preferences in mainstream microeconomic theory in the form of social interactions, interdependent preferences, keeping up with the Joneses, social identity, social preferences, and status concerns. Social preferences have started to have a growing impact among mainstream microeconomics with the advent of behavioral economics, but still they are not in the hard core of the standard theory of choice. The paper argues that atomistic preferences are still prevalent, especially in the form of the assumption of representative agent. It also focuses on the role of methodological individualism and on the theoretical implications of relaxing the assumption of atomistic individual, as main explanations of the resilience of the mainstream economic rationality.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major public health challenge in India but there is a lack of high-quality data on its clinical characteristics and outcomes. We aimed to describe the TBI population of a tertiary care center in India, identify predictors of inpatient mortality, and assess the performance of existing prognostic tools.METHODS:We conducted a prospective observational cohort study of patients admitted to a high-volume tertiary care center in Vellore, India, after a TBI between 2013 and 2019.RESULTS:

It is often inferred that rising sea levels will result in widespread coastal recession. Erosion appeared prevalent in a worldwide compilation of evidence derived from maps and aerial photographs undertaken in the 1980s by the Commission on the Coastal Environment. Eric Bird, chair of the commission, inferred that >70% of sandy coastlines had retreated, a generalisation that has been widely cited. We reconsider these findings in respect of subsequent advances in shoreline mapping, including greater precision possible using geographical information systems and more frequent remote sensing imagery with increased spatial, spectral and temporal resolution. Satellite-derived shorelines now enable broad global and regional generalisations about shoreline position. Beaches fluctuate over a range of timescales, meaning that trends in their position are highly dependent on techniques and temporal scales adopted for monitoring. Recent global- and regional-scale shoreline assessments indicate that many sandy shorelines have been stable, and that detectable retreat has occurred on fewer beaches than previously inferred. Accretion is apparent on some coasts, particularly where engineering interventions protect or have reclaimed land. There is considerable variability in the behaviour of monitored beaches, and it is not yet possible to decipher a response to the gradual centimetre-scale rise in sea level of recent decades. Instead, we re-emphasise the several other factors that were considered to contribute to recession by the Commission, many of which relate to a change in sediment budget. To provide insights into future coastline behaviour, a better understanding of the multiple drivers on individual beaches is needed to discriminate between erosional events and longer-term trends in shoreline position.

Telehealth holds the potential to expand healthcare access for people who use drugs (PWUD). However, limited data exist on their digital infrastructure access, a prerequisite for telehealth participation. We studied digital healthcare accessibility among PWUD.

ABSTRACT The Lake Volvi area, part of the region of Macedonia (northern Greece), is a biodiversity hotspot, located in the central part of a major communication corridor connecting the western and eastern parts of the Balkans. The sediment succession from Lake Volvi is investigated here to provide a unique high-resolution pollen and geochemical record for the last 2000 years combining palaeoecological and historical methods, implementing the concept of consilience. The palaeoecological data document the environmental dynamics since the occupation of the area by the Romans. The vegetation changes reveal the development of wetland habitats and the variations of the mixed deciduous oak and thermophilous?mesophilous forests, as well as cereal cultivation, grazing and arboriculture, whose intensity varied over time. Archaeological data are available for the 1st millennium ce, but detailed historical evidence becomes accessible from the 13th century  ce onwards through Byzantine and Ottoman documents. Both historical and palaeoecological data indicate that the 16th century was the period of strongest population pressure on the environment of the Volvi region. However, for other periods, it is possible to observe disagreements between the proxies. We demonstrate that these contradictions can be resolved with a more complex understanding of the region's social?ecological dynamics.

Obesity is an important risk factor for atrial fibrillation (AF) development. Data on cryoballoon ablation (CBA) outcomes in obese patients have so far been scarce. We reviewed the existing literature to compare the efficacy and safety of CBA in obese versus non-obese AF patients. A systematic literature search was conducted for studies comparing clinical outcomes (arrhythmia recurrence and/or procedural data and/or safety outcomes) between obese and non-obese patients undergoing CBA for AF. Statistical pooling was performed according to a random-effects model with generic inverse-variance weighting of relative risks (RRs) and standardised mean differences (SMDs) computing risk estimates with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Obese and non-obese patients had comparable arrhythmia recurrence rates (normal versus overweight, RR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.82-1.11, = 0.55, I% = 91%; normal versus class I obesity, RR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.82-1.13, = 0.68, I% = 87%; normal versus class II obesity, RR = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.91-1.07, = 0.29, I% = 65%). Procedure time was marginally increased in obese patients compared to non-obese counterparts (normal versus overweight, SMD = 0.05, 95% CI: -0.15-0.26, = 0.62, I% = 74%; normal versus class I obesity, SMD = 0.10, 95% CI: -0.00-0.19, = 0.06, I% = 2%; overweight versus class I obesity, SMD = 0.11, 95% CI: 0.01-0.21, = 0.048, I% = 25%). Regarding radiation exposure, fluoroscopy time was increased in patients with class I obesity compared to normal-weight or overweight patients and dose area product was also increased in obese patients compared to non-obese patients. Lastly, the risk of complications did not differ between obese and non-obese patients. Statistical heterogeneity and the small number of patients included are the main limitations of this study. CBA seems to be effective for obese patients suffering from AF, featuring also similar safety outcomes with non-obese individuals. Radiation exposure was increased in obese patients.

The weights and structure determination (WASD) neuronet (or neural network) is a single-hidden-layer feedforward neuronet that exhibits an excellent approximation ability, despite its simple structure. Thanks to its strong generalization, fast speed, and ease of implementation, the WASD neuronet has been the subject of many modifications, including metaheuristics, and applications in a wide range of scientific fields. As it has garnered significant attention in the last decade, the aim of this study is to provide an extensive overview of the WASD framework. Furthermore, the WASD has been effectively used in numerous real-time learning tasks like regression, multiclass classification, and binary classification due to its exceptional performance. In addition, we present WASD’s applications in social science, business, engineering, economics, and medicine. We aim to report these developments and provide some avenues for further research.

Intensifying climate change impacts, such as Sea-Level Rise (SLR), floods, extreme weather events and coastal erosion, threaten ecosystems, infrastructure, and human communities at a global scale, making vulnerability assessments a crucial prerequisite for identifying areas necessitating urgent and effective actions. The Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI) is a widely used index-based methodology for such assessments; yet its implementation often relies on complex, manual workflows across multiple proprietary desktop Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software. Existing approaches limit accessibility, lack transparency, hinder reproducibility, and are frequently time-consuming. To address these challenges, CVIc (Coastal Vulnerability Index Compiler) is presented herein as a novel, open-source, and open-access geoprocessing web application for the computation of the CVI. CVIc provides an end-to-end dynamic workflow, guiding users from shoreline data import to the application of various standardized indices (CVI, ICVI). CVIc is deployed as a website (https://alexandrosliaskos.github.io/CVIc/) and features interactive tools for shoreline digitization, segmentation, parameter value assignment, and visualization and export of results. The only input requirements are a shoreline Shapefile input or a GeoTIFF image for digitization, and the knowledge of the spatial distribution of the parameter values for the area under study. By leveraging IndexedDB for browser-based data storage, CVIc operates without server-side dependencies, ensuring data privacy, protection and large-scale dataset processing. To our knowledge, this consists the first web solution of its kind, as its streamlined approach into a unified and user-friendly platform makes this type of analysis more feasible to researchers and coastal practitioners, while providing policymakers with more accessible and robust data for decision-making. Its open-source nature enables community-driven advancements, and the simple User Interface (UI) and map components mark it as appropriate for educational purposes.

A base-catalyzed protocol is reported for the construction of 1,3-thiazolidine-2-thione scaffolds bearing quaternary carbon centers from carbon disulfide and α-tertiary propargylamines. The reaction proceeds using low catalyst loading, under ambient temperatures, and in the absence of solvent. Various α-tertiary propargylamines have been employed, affording a series of previously unreported thiazolidine-2-thione compounds and avoiding purification via column chromatography in certain cases. We also describe a one-pot strategy for the synthesis of the same products through a KA2 coupling-CS2 incorporation approach. The reaction mechanism and substituent-dependent catalytic behavior were studied through a combination of detailed experimental and computational studies.

Despite Greece’s historical and geographical significance in the Mediterranean, there is currently no national digital repository offering systematic access to Arabic chronicles, diplomatic letters, and travelogues from the eighth to sixteenth centuries. This absence critically impedes rigorous Arabological and Islamological research within Greek academia and restricts the educational landscape to predominantly Eurocentric perspectives. The Hellenic Digital Library of Arabic Historical Sources (HDB-AHS) is proposed as a pre-implementation targeted solution, presenting a trilingual (Greek–English–Arabic) digital platform designed to aggregate, preserve, and openly disseminate these vital sources. The article outlines a six-phase implementation plan combining IIIF, TEI-XML, FAIR for interoperability and reuse and CARE principles where community authority or sensitivity requires it, and open licensing with a robust rights–clearance framework for modern copyrights and sensitive materials. Beyond academic benefits, the project aspires to act as a meeting point of cultures, offering concrete tools for building bridges, combating intolerance, and fostering intercultural understanding. In a world that is rapidly changing, the creation of such an inclusive and responsibly curated digital resource is vital not only for advancing research but also for supporting dialogue and mutual respect across societies. The HDB-AHS provides a blueprint for similar initiatives in underrepresented fields.

The standard wave equation describing symmetrical wave propagation in all directions in three dimensions, was discovered by the French scientist d’Alembert, more than 250 years ago. In the 20th century it became important to search for ‘one-way’ versions of this equation in three dimensions– i.e., an equation describing wave propagation in one direction for all angles, and forbiting it in the opposite direction– for a variety of applications in compu tational and topological physics. Here, by borrowing techniques from relati vistic quantum field theory– in particular, from the Dirac equation–,and starting from Engquist and Majda’s seminal, approximative one-way wave equations, we report the discovery of theexactone-waywaveequationin three dimensions. Surprisingly, we find that this equation necessarily– simi larly to the innate emergence of spin in the Dirac equation– has a topological nature, giving rise to strong, spin-orbit coupling and locking, and non vanishing (integer) Chern numbers.

Saccadic eye movement tasks have been widely used as a probe for measuring cognitive functions in healthy humans as well as in patients with neurological and psychiatric disorders. Circadian variation has been shown to affect multiple aspects of cognitive function especially executive function related to prefrontal cortex. The effects of diurnal variation in saccadic task performance and the dissociation of these effects from repetition or practice effects has not been adequately addressed. In the current study thirty healthy adults performed several saccadic eye movement tasks including visually guided saccades, antisaccades and countermanding saccades in three consecutive sessions. Participants were divided into three groups, with a different starting time of the sequence of the three sessions across groups (morning or afternoon or evening) to examine the effect of diurnal variation (time of day that the tasks were performed) separated from the effect of session repetition (practice effect). The results showed no effect of diurnal variation for all indexes of saccadic eye movement performance including accuracy (antisaccade and countermanding saccade tasks) speed (mean latency in all tasks) and stability (intra-subject standard deviation of latency in all tasks). In contrast, saccadic task repetition significantly improved accuracy, speed and stability of performance indicating the presence of practice effects in these tasks. Finally, linear mixed model analysis confirmed no interaction between diurnal variation and practice effects for all indexes of saccadic eye movement performance. In conclusion our study provides confirmation that saccadic task performance is not affected by diurnal variation related to circadian rhythms. In contrast, short term repetition of these tasks results in significant practice effects.

In his 1994 novel The Waterworks, E. L. Doctorow constructs a modernGothic tale of horror in the heart of New York City at the end of the nineteenthcentury. Adopting Slavoj Žižek’s “parallax view,” this article contends thatDr. Sartorius’s gory, antagonistic obsession to defeat death constructs a nightmarishnetwork of undead spectral “life” that escapes the ontological horizondelineated by the Symbolic and, at the same time, disrupts its social inscription,rendering visible fin de siècle societal antagonisms. The undead non-subjectswhose materialization is contingent upon the blood and bone marrow of the childrenupon which they prey are used in this modern Gothic text as an exemplificationof the unspeakable Real that is inscribed into the very fabric of capitalism.

Background/Objectives: Acute low back pain (LBP) is a prevalent cause of disabilityworldwide. If often involves both inflammation and reflex muscle spasm, suggestingcombined therapy with a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and a musclerelaxant may provide superior relief. This study aimed to evaluate the short-term efficacy and safety of a single intramuscular (IM) injection of a fixed-dose combination (FDC) product containing Diclofenac and Thiocolchicoside versus Diclofenac monotherapy in adults with acute LBP. Methods: We conducted a phase III multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group trial in 140 patients with acute LBP of moderate to severe intensity. Patients were allocated 1:1 to receive either the combination of Diclofenac sodium 75 mg + Thiocolchicoside 4 mg (FDC product, Test Group) or Diclofenac sodium 75 mg alone (Diclofenac monotherapy, Reference Group) via a single IM injection. The primaryoutcome was the change in patient-reported pain intensity using the Visual Analogue Scale(VAS) from baseline to 3 h post-dose. Key secondary outcomes included pain change at1 h in the VAS, improvement in lumbar mobility (finger-to-floor distance test, FTF), theproportion of patients achieving >30% pain reduction, and the incidence of adverse events(AEs). Randomization was centralized and both investigators and patients were blindedto the treatment. Results: All 140 randomized patients completed the trial. At 3 h postinjection,the combination therapy produced a significantly greater mean pain reductionthan monotherapy (41.52 mm vs. 28.13 mm on the 100 mm VAS; p < 0.0001). Superiority of the combination was already evident at 1 h post-dose (VAS reduction 27.61 mm vs. 20.40 mm; p = 0.0089). Lumbar flexion improved more with the combination at 3 h (mean FTF distance improvement 14.52 cm vs. 7.94 cm; p < 0.0001) and at 1 h (9.21 cm vs. 4.62 cm;

The paper discusses the Hellenistic necropoleis of Alexandria in Egypt: the tombs, the finds, the paintings, Greco-Egyptian ideas on death and dying. We will be exploring Macedonian responses to death and dying, as well as the ways Macedonian mortuary habits were transmitted, transposed, developed and “edited”, once the Macedonians found themselves on top of the world, and in lands so different from their own. From Macedon to Asia and Egypt, and from Aigai and Mieza to Shatby, Macedonians had to renegotiate their fundamental beliefs on death and the afterlife, committing themselves to the amalgam we now understand as “Ptolemaic Alexandria”.

BACKGROUND: Electrical storm (ES) is a life- threatening condition. Both recurrence and mortality rates remain unacceptably high. Current guidelines recommend initial conservative approach using anti-arrhythmic drugs (AADs), followed by catheter ablation (CA) for those with refractory ES. METHODS: We searched PubMed and Scopus for articles comparing an initial conservative approach - based on AADs/ sedation- with an early referral for CA approach. The primary endpoint was long term mortality, while secondary endpoints included ES recurrence and the incidence of ventricular arrhythmias (VAs)/ defibrillator shocks during the follow- up. RESULTS: Seven studies, primarily observational cohorts, were analyzed. The pooled population (999 patients) consisted mostly of males with ischemic cardiomyopathy, presenting with ventricular tachycardias (VTs). The mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 35.5 % (9.5 %). 493 patients were treated with CA during the index hospitalization. Early CA was associated with significantly lower long- term mortality (OR: 0.44, 95 %CI: 0.31-0.63). Additionally, it was associated with lower rates of both ES recurrence and VAs/ shocks during the follow- up (OR: 0.27, 95 %CI: 0.15-0.48 and OR: 0.33, 95 %CI: 0.21-0.52, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Meta- analysis of primarily observational studies revealed that early referral of ES patients for CA may improve their prognosis. The invasive approach was associated with lower mortality and reduced recurrence rates of major arrhythmic events. Although some inherent limitations affect the strength of these findings, they remain promising. They highlight the need for further research on the topic, as their confirmation in randomized trials could lead to a shift in the standard of care of ES patients.

In the early months of 2025, a significant seismic activity was recorded in the area between Santorini and Amorgos, raising concerns about the potential occurrence of a major earthquake and a possible tsunami. The objective of this study is to assess the earthquake-triggered tsunami hazard in the Santorini-Amorgos Tectonic Zone (SATZ) by simulating tsunami processes using the MOST (Method of Splitting Tsunami) numerical model, implemented through the ComMIT (Community Model Interface for Tsunamis). High-resolution bathymetry and topography were employed to model tsunami generation, propagation, and onshore inundation. A total of 60 simulations were conducted using a deterministic approach based on worst-case scenarios. The analysis considered six major active faults with two kinematic types, pure normal and oblique-slip, and assessed tsunami impact on five selected coastal study areas. The simulations results showed potential maximum run-up values of 4.1 m in Gialos (Ios), 2.7 m in Kamari (Santorini), 2.4 m in Perissa (Santorini), 1.5 m in Katapola (Amorgos), and 2.3 m in Chora (Astypalaea), in some cases affecting residential zones. Inundation flows also impacted the main ports of Gialos, Katapola, and Chora, highlighting the exposure of critical infrastructure. Although earthquake-triggered tsunamis represent a potential hazard in the SATZ, the results indicated that it is unlikely to cause a widespread disaster in the study areas.

Occasioned by Hans Klein’s commentary, this study examines the history of interpretation of Rom 7:25b by comparing Protestant and Orthodox exegetical traditions. Klein, following Augustine and Luther, sees the verse as describing the believer’s ongoing internal struggle (simul iustus et peccator). In contrast, Greek patristic exegetes assign the “divided self” to the unredeemed human, while highlighting the baptized believer’s ability to overcome sin. The article suggests that although both traditions partly diverge from Paul’s theological view, they can complement one another when not taken in an absolute sense. The study concludes with a pastoral caveat regarding the mindset of believers: while the Protestant perspective may lead to resignation and despair over sin, the Orthodox emphasis on spiritual perfection may foster neurotic dissonance and self-estrangement. A hermeneutical approach is proposed to help navigate everyday spiritual struggle, growth, and the path to sanctification.

In early 2024, the largest full-scale exercise (FSE) for earthquakes and related geohazards in Greece was implemented in Crete Island (southern Greece). Crete is characterized by intense seismicity with historical and recent destructive earthquakes with considerable impact on both the natural and built environment and subsequently on the population. The uniqueness of this FSE lies in the creation and coordination of a multi-agency, multijurisdictional, and multidisciplinary environment in which a multitude of central, regional, and local stakeholders and a large percentage of the total population of Crete actively participated. This paper constitutes a descriptive study focusing on the main steps of the exercise management cycle comprising planning, implementation, and evaluation of the FSE. Furthermore, emphasis is given on its purpose and objectives, its main events and subsequent incidents, the participants and their roles, as well as the material developed and distributed to the participants. Through this study, the implemented actions for increasing preparedness of the Civil Protection mechanism in case of earthquakes and related geohazards are highlighted aiming to inform the scientific community and operational staff and to contribute to the seismic risk reduction of regions worldwide with similar seismotectonic and demographic characteristics with Crete. Furthermore, suggestions are made for the integration of multi-hazard episodes in the FSE scenario in order that the Civil Protection authorities will be prepared to handle the synergy of hazards of different types that may arise during a post-earthquake period that create compounding challenges during the emergency response and further increase recovery time.

The impact of metal contacts on the electrical properties of SiN dielectric film in MEMS capacitors is investigated. The investigation is performed employing MIM and MEMS capacitors with Au and Ni contacts. A resistive switching like behaviour is monitored in the case of Ni contacts. This behaviour is attributed to the presence of deep traps in SiN and the effect of different metal contacts as revealed from Thermally Stimulated Depolarization Current (TSDC) assessment. Specifically, TSDC showed that the resistive switching is a contact/interface dominated effect.

Loneliness represents a negative feeling that arises when individuals perceive a discrepancybetween actual and desired social relationships. The present study explored the meanings andpersonal experiences of loneliness in children and early adolescents in Italy. Participants included139 children and early adolescents aged 8–14 years (M = 10.76 years, SD = 1.71; 80 girls, 57.6%)who completed a semi-structured interview online. Different dimensions emerged from the codingprocess, providing evidence of the multidimensional nature of loneliness, defined and experiencedthrough different dimensions (e.g., cognitive, emotional, and regarding interpersonal context).Results from descriptive analyses (i.e., frequencies and percentages) showed that most of theparticipants defined loneliness in terms of physical separation from others. Also, participantsdiscussed loneliness in relation to both their family and peers. Some children and adolescentsexpressed experiencing loneliness voluntarily. Children and early adolescents reported to feelsadness, anger and other emotions as boredom, happiness, and fear in associations with loneliness.Finally, we examined gender and grade differences between the dimensions with a series of chisquaretests and ANOVAs. Results revealed that primary school children and boys defined andexperienced loneliness using the physical separation dimension. Middle school children definedloneliness using the cognitive dimension more frequently. Overall, the present study offers a richerunderstanding of the meanings and experiences of loneliness in youth and highlights the importanceof considering developmental, gender, and cultural factors when studying loneliness.

The orchestration of dynamic epigenetic and epitranscriptomic modifications is pivotal for the fine-tuning of gene expression. However, these modifications are traditionally examined independently. Recent compelling studies have disclosed an interesting communication and interplay between m6A RNA methylation (m6A epitranscriptome) and epigenetic modifications, enabling the formation of feedback circuits and cooperative networks. Intriguingly, the interaction between m6A and DNA methylation machinery, coupled with the crosstalk between m6A RNA and histone modifications shape the transcriptional profile and translational efficiency. Moreover, m6A modifications interact also with non-coding RNAs, modulating their stability, abundance, and regulatory functions. In the light of these findings, m6A imprinting acts as a versatile checkpoint, linking epigenetic and epitranscriptomic layers toward a multilayer and time-dependent control of gene expression and cellular homeostasis. The scope of the present review is to decipher the m6A-coordinated circuits with DNA imprinting, chromatin architecture, and non-coding RNAs networks in normal physiology and carcinogenesis. Ultimately, we summarize the development of innovative CRISPR-dCas engineering platforms fused with m6A catalytic components (m6A writers or erasers) to achieve transcript-specific editing of m6A epitranscriptomes that can create new insights in modern RNA therapeutics.

Brain organoids are in vitro 3D cultures generated in the lab from human induced pluripotent stem cells or embryonic stem cells and can mimic the human brain structure and function. Specifically, they reproduce to some extent in vivo developmental events as they consist of diverse cell types, such as apical radial glial cells, intermediate progenitors, basal radial glial cells, and neurons forming stratified cortical layers similar to what is observed in the human brain in vivo. Due to cytoarchitecture similarities between the human brain and brain organoids, the latter have been proposed as excellent models for studying human brain development and disease. Thus, genome manipulation in brain organoids is crucial for investigating the functions of specific genes and mutations that have been associated with brain-related disorders. For this reason, gene manipulation has been implemented in brain organoids in the last few years. Here, we describe a step-by-step protocol for gene expression manipulation and analyses in brain organoids via acute electroporation that we have optimized based on the in vivo electroporation that has been widely used in animal models. This easy-to-apply protocol is fast and robust and facilitates the precise spatiotemporal manipulation of the expression of any gene of interest.

Tinos Island, part of the Cyclades Complex in the central Aegean Sea, represents a distinctive case of geocultural heritage where geological formations and cultural identity intersect. This study evaluates the geoeducational and geotouristic potential of Tinos’ geosites using GEOAM methodology, which assesses their scientific, educational, and conservation value. Six geosites are examined to explore their geoeducational potential, including prominent locations such as the Tafoni formations and the Exombourgo granite massif. The findings highlight the significance of these sites, while also identifying challenges related to infrastructure, stakeholder engagement, and sustainable management. By integrating geoethics into geotourism practices, Tinos can adopt a balanced approach that enhances environmental conservation alongside community-driven economic benefits. The study underscores the need for collaborative initiatives to optimize the island’s geoheritage for education and tourism, ensuring its long-term preservation. Geotourism, when responsibly implemented, has the potential to strengthen local identity while advancing sustainable tourism development.

The study presents a geomorphological overview of Greece at a 1:1,000,000 scale, marking the first national cartographic synthesis effort to interpret geological and geomorphological factors shaping the country's landscape. The geomorphological map was developed through a literature review of prior studies at varying scales and semi-automated GIS techniques. High-resolution topographic data and 1:50,000 geological maps were integrated into a spatial geodatabase. Secondary layers, including a hillshade map, slope-aspect map, and red relief image map, were created and combined with Google Earth imagery to delineate landforms. These were categorized by primary formative processes into structural, fluvial, gravity-induced, coastal, karst, volcanic, glacial and periglacial. Additional maps and tables were produced, detailing topographic parameters, geotectonic setting, and climatic regime. The results highlight Greece's diverse geomorphological environments, shaped by active tectonics and surface processes. The map represents recent geomorphological advancements and serves as a management tool for stakeholders and a reference for interdisciplinary research.

The present study investigates the formation and development of a coastal barrier associated with the recent evolution of the beach/dune system of the Kyparissiakos Gulf (SE Ionian Sea, central Mediterranean Sea) during the late phase of the Holocene (Flandrian) transgression. The study is based on the application of combined geophysical (ERT: Electrical Resistivity Tomography; GPR: Ground Penetrating Radar) and geotechnical (CPT: Cone Penetration Test; boreholes) techniques, supported by sedimentological (granulometric, mineralogical, palaeontological) analyses. According to the interpretation of the collected and processed data, the formation of the coastal barrier started during the transition between the fast and slow phase of the sea level rise (i.e. 6-7 ka BP), which coincides with an increased fluvial sediment inflow induced by the prevailing wetter climatic conditions (8000 - 3700 BP). The development of the coastal barrier most likely involves a progradational beach, associated with the formation of dunes that follow aggradational phases of coastal barrier and beach evolution. Based on 14C dating, the formation of the two younger dune ridges took place no earlier than 350 and 950 cal yr BP, respectively.

Cellular senescence, a state of permanent cell cycle arrest, recapitulates the aging process at the cellular level. It can be triggered by intrinsic or extrinsic factors including telomere shortening (replicative senescence) and in response to various types of stresses such as oncogenic stress (oncogene-induced senescence, OIS). Senescence has been detected in vitro and in premalignant lesions in mice and humans expressing mutant oncogenes. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression at the posttranscriptional level, and have been involved in both replicative senescence and OIS. Several methods have been used to identify miRNAs and compare their expression in normal versus oncogene-induced senescent cells, as well as to analyze their role and their targets in senescence. Here, we describe several methods that can be employed to identify miRNAs in cells undergoing OIS, including miRNA-sequencing, RT-qPCR-based detection and quantification of miRNAs and Nanostring miRNA analysis (nCounter miRNA Expression Assay). Moreover, we perform a meta-analysis of studies employing the above methodologies, pinpoint miRNAs with consistent expression changes across senescence models, and predict their target genes and the pathways in which they partake.

(1) Background: The present study examines the effects of fire on the ecosystem services of forest ecosystems in Greece. Being a Mediterranean country, Greece has been affected by fires of increasing intensity and frequency in recent years; (2) Methods: Information was extracted from 56 articles published in the period January 1997–March 2024 that were selected after an extensive literature review; (3) Results: An increasing trend in the number of published articles over time was observed. Studies on regulating and maintenance services prevailed. The majority of studies reported on thermo-Mediterranean ecosystems, with Pinus halepensis Mill forests being the most common ecosystems affected by fires. The effects of fire were primarily negative on provisioning and cultural services, as well as on the control of erosion rates, regulation of the hydrologic cycle, atmospheric composition, and climate regulation. Most effects on plant diversity were found to be positive, while positive and neutral effects were also recorded for pollination. The most pronounced negative or positive effects were noted for the first two years after the fire. The spatial mapping of the results showed that the areas most affected by the fires in Greece are Eastern Attica, Euboea, Western Attica, and most regional units of the Peloponnese; (4) Conclusions: In the era of climate change and changing fire regimes in the Mediterranean, there is a need to further research the impact of fire on ecosystem services, as this will help in the better protection and management of the most vulnerable forest ecosystems.

The accurate representation of mixed-phase monsoon clouds and their phase distribution is of great importance for numerical models used to predict monsoon rainfall. Therefore, it is essential for these models to correctly capture the phase fraction of clouds, which includes the proportions of liquid and ice. Ice particle formation in clouds occurs through primary ice production and secondary ice production (SIP). Most weather and climate models tend to overlook secondary SIP mechanisms, often only including rime-splintering. This oversight can introduce biases in the phase partitioning of mixed-phase clouds and monsoon rainfall predictions. In this study, we investigate the roles of three major SIP mechanisms: Hallett-Mossop (HM), droplet shattering (DS), and ice-ice collision (IIC) in mixed-phase monsoon clouds. This investigation is the first of its kind and was conducted using high-resolution simulations of mixed-phase convective clouds observed during the fourth phase of the Cloud Aerosol Interaction and Precipitation Enhancement Experiment (CAIPEEX) over a rain shadow region of India. The default cloud microphysical scheme, which originally included only the HM process, was modified to incorporate additional SIP mechanisms such as DS and IIC. The simulated cloud parameters, including liquid and ice water content and ice number concentration, showed good agreement with airborne measurements. Our findings indicate that IIC is the predominant SIP mechanism, contributing 90 % to the total ice production through SIP. The inclusion of the three SIP mechanisms resulted in an enhancement of ice concentration by three to four orders of magnitude at temperatures warmer than -20 °C. SIP significantly influenced various cloud parameters between 0 to −20 °C, including total ice number concentration, ice crystal mass, rimed mass, liquid water content, and phase fraction. It also influenced the Ice Water Path (IWP), Liquid Water Path (LWP), and cloud top temperature. The rates of several mixed-phase processes were also affected by the SIP mechanisms. Overall, SIP led to a 15 % reduction in accumulated surface precipitation.

The present paper deals with the combined application of near-surface geophysical techniques in a sustainable agriculture project. Their application is focused on the identification of any subsurface water in the context of sustainable water management for the selected living hub, located in the semi-arid area of Agios Georgios-Mandra Attiki. The objective of the multidisciplinary geophysical study was to determine the depth of the bedrock and the thickness of the post-Alpine deposits. In addition, the subsurface karstification and the possible aquifer presence were examined. For that reason, the following techniques were implemented: Electrical Resistivity Tomography, Seismic Refraction Tomography, Ground-Penetrating Radar, and Very-Low Frequency electromagnetic technique. The study was also supported by drone LiDAR usage. The investigation revealed several hydrogeological characteristics of the area. The thickness of the post-Alpine sediments is almost 3 m. However, no shallow aquiferous systems have been developed in this formation, as indicated by their relatively high resistivity values (100–1000 Ohm.m). Furthermore, the alpine bedrock exhibits extensive karstification, facilitated by the development of fracture zones. The absence of an underlying impermeable layer prevented the development of aquiferous zones, at least up to a depth of 100 m.

Flash floods have been the cause of some of the most devastating events worldwide. The wide diversity of the effects, as well as the variety in the severity of the impacts, lead to major obstacles in obtaining a realistic understanding of the damages caused by a flood event, thus hampering at the same time our ability to predict future impacts. In assessing flood impacts and their severity, most existing methods use a qualitative characterization (e.g., major, catastrophic, etc.) or view the impacts from a single viewpoint or discipline (e.g., economic losses). In this study, we apply the Flash Flood Impact Severity Scale (FFISS) to assess, map, and classify the impacts of two flash floods from the Lilas River in Greece in 2009 and 2020. This application aims to discuss the different severity levels in terms of how one flood can affect the impacts of the next event. The methodology encompasses comprehensive field research, including the collection of ground-based and aerial observations utilizing UAV technology to document the impacts. These observations are subsequently georeferenced, followed by application of the Flash Flood Impact Severity Scale (FFISS) and generation of detailed maps to assess and evaluate the severity of the impacts associated with the two flood events. The results show that despite the higher water stage of the second flood, the impacts in previously hit areas indicate lower severity values, attributed to the gradual adaptation of the community and its infrastructure, as well as significant local widening of the river channel. On the contrary, high severity remains an issue in newly flooded areas during the second event. Overall, the application of the FFISS can show the spatial patterns of severity impacts, providing insights into the nature of floods locally but also indicating a potential reduction in the overall risk in the post-flood period.

The utilization of hybrid plasmonic metal/semiconductor materials for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has emerged as a promising approach towards the development of advanced SERS substrates in terms of sensitivity{,} uniformity{,} stability{,} and reusability{,} based on the synergy of the powerful electromagnetic mechanism with the chemical amplification and functionality of semiconductor supports. In this work{,} co-assembled WO3/TiO2 inverse opal films were utilized as photonic crystal scaffolds of plasmonic Ag nanoparticles in order to optimally combine plasmonic{,} charge transfer and slow photon effects for ultrasensitive{,} recyclable SERS sensing. Compositional and photonic band gap engineering of the Ag-decorated WO3/TiO2 photonic crystal substrates provided insight to the interplay of plasmonic enhancement assisted by slow light propagation in the inverse opal structure and charge transfer between the analyte and the heterostructured substrate. Highly sensitive detection of 4-mercaptobenzoic acid as a non-resonant analyte was achieved down to 10−13 M for the optimal Ag–WO3/TiO2 substrate with good uniformity and excellent recyclability due to its enhanced photocatalytic self-cleaning capacity. Comparative performance tests along with photoelectrochemical evaluation showed a significant contribution of cascade electron transfer from plasmonic Ag to the staggered WO3/TiO2 heterojunctions and the analyte{,} providing an additional charge transfer pathway to promote the substrate-to-molecule interaction for the design of efficient and versatile metal/metal oxide SERS platforms.

The present paper deals with an inhabited, creeping mountainous landmass with profound surface deformation that affects the local community. The scope of the paper is to gather surficial and subsurface information in order to understand the parameters of this creeping mass, which is usually affected by several parameters, such as its geometry, subsurface water, and shear zone. Therefore, a combined aerial and surface investigation has been conducted. The aerial investigation involves UAV’s LiDAR acquisition for the terrain model and a comparison of historical aerial photographs for land use changes. The multi-technique surface investigation included resistivity (ERT) and seismic (SRT, MASW) measurements and density determination of geological formations. This combination of methods proved to be fruitful since several aspects of the landslide were clarified, such as water flow paths, the internal geological structure of the creeping mass, and its geometrical extent. The depth of the shear zone of the creeping mass is delineated at the first five to ten meters from the surface, especially from the difference in diachronic resistivity change.

Uncontrolled proliferation, resistance to apoptosis, inability to maintain genome integrity, and, recently, epigenetic reprogramming are all hallmarks of cancer. A number of gene expression and cell signaling networks control these-often-interconnected processes, while the study of their deregulation is in the forefront of cancer research for decades. Here we present data from cells and patients indicating that KMT2C, one of the most frequently mutated proteins in solid malignancies, is involved in all these processes. Its loss, a bad prognosis marker in bladder cancer, is associated with activation of the PI3K/PDK/AKT oncogenic/antiapoptotic axis, and tolerance to DNA damage during cell cycle progression. On the other hand, these cells suffer from mitotic stress that can be therapeutically exploited. Treatment with a PLK1 inhibitor showed high efficacy in vivo, and was associated with mitotic catastrophe and cellular senescence, providing evidence that targeting genes that promote mitotic progression could be a promising therapeutic approach in the subset of tumors with KMT2C loss.

RESUMENCon el objetivo de facilitar la labor de los docentes de ELE, nos proponemos indagarsobre la actividad ortográfica desde una perspectiva cognitiva, con el propósito decomprender los procesos mentales implicados y examinar si el nivel lingüístico enLE influye en dichos procesos. Para ello, se realizó un estudio con 142 aprendicesgriegos de ELE, clasificados en niveles lingüísticos (A, B y C). Estos participantesrealizaron una prueba de disponibilidad léxica, que permite acceder al proceso derecuperación de la forma ortográfica de las palabras más disponibles para ellos.Primero, se identificaron los errores ortográficos en las respuestas, tanto en laacentuación como en las letras. Posteriormente, se analizaron los datos desde unaperspectiva cuantitativa y cualitativa. El análisis cuantitativo indica que, alaumentar el nivel lingüístico, disminuye la cantidad de palabras con erroresortográficos. Sin embargo, los errores dentro de las palabras incorrectas semantienen constantes, lo que indica que las palabras con errores contienen másfallos internos. En relación con los errores de acentuación, estos persisten en todoslos niveles lingüísticos. El análisis cualitativo de los datos revela que muchoserrores de acentuación ocurren en palabras frecuentes y comunes que deberían serfáciles de escribir correctamente. En cuanto a los errores en las letras, estáninfluenciados por las otras LE que los aprendices conocen. Dichos resultadosrevelan que los participantes tienden a recuperar la forma ortográfica de laspalabras directamente a través de la vía léxica en lugar de seguir la vía fonológica.Estos hallazgos permiten proponer el tratamiento didáctico adecuado para lasdificultades ortográficas de los aprendices griegos de ELE.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether increased body mass index (BMI) and biochemical and lifestyle parameters linked to obesity and smoke exposure disrupt immune responses of children and adolescents following vaccination with the mRNA BNT162b2 vaccine. METHODS: A prospective, single-center, cohort study was conducted. Participants were assigned to receive two doses of the mRNA vaccine. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG and neutralizing antibodies (AB) were measured before vaccination (T0) and 14 days after the second dose (T1). BMI and biochemical parameters were evaluated at T0. A questionnaire on lifestyle characteristics was filled in. RESULTS: IgG optical density (OD) ratio at T1 was lower in the overweight-obese group regardless of COVID-19 disease positive history [p = 0.028 for the seronegative group, p = 0.032 for the seropositive group]. Neutralizing AB were lower in overweight-obese participants in the seronegative group at T1 [p = 0.008]. HDL, fasting glucose/insulin ratio (FGIR), C-reactive protein (CRP), HBA1c, uric acid, and smoke exposure were significantly correlated with BMI [p = 0.006, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.006, p = 0.009, p < 0.001, respectively]. The main biochemical parameters that were inversely correlated with IgG and neutralizing AB titers at T1 were uric acid [p = 0.018, p = 0.002], FGIR [p = 0.001, p = 0.008] and HBA1C [p = 0.027, p = 0.038], while smoke exposure negatively affected the humoral immune responses at T0 in the convalescent group [p = 0.004, p = 0.005]. CONCLUSIONS: Current data suggests that uric acid, insulin resistance (IR), and smoke exposure could adversely affect the immune responses in overweight-obese vaccinated children, highlighting the need for actions to enhance the protection of this particular subgroup.

This study explores the lived experiences of Greek emerging adults during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on perceived psychoemotional and social impacts and future outlooks. Using a qualitative longitudinal approach, we conducted two timeframes: March 2020 and June 2021, with thirty-four participants (M = 21.14 years old) initially responding to online open-ended questions, followed by in-depth interviews with six. Thematic analysis identified two main themes: ‘emotional shifts’ and ‘transitioning to adulthood’. Participants expressed a range of emotions, including sadness and nostalgia, leading to feelings of loneliness from being separated from loved ones. Throughout both timeframes, they reported fear and anxiety about contracting or spreading the virus. However, they also recognised positive changes during the first lockdown, such as personal growth and a deeper appreciation for life, which translated into ‘relational clearings’ during the second lockdown. Additionally, participants acknowledged their increased responsibility to comply with restrictions and formulated practical future plans reflecting a ‘here-and-now’ mindset. Our findings are discussed in relation to existing literature.

BACKGROUND: While long coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is linked to prolonged vascular dysfunction in adults, research in children remains poor. In this study, we assessed vascular health in children infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 about 6.8 months postinfection, comparing them with healthy controls. METHODS: Two hundred twenty-three children were assessed and divided into group 1, which included children with a positive disease history and group 2, which consisted of healthy controls. Anthropometric measurements, lipid profile, biomarkers (interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and soluble intracellular adhesion molecule) and long COVID symptoms were assessed, along with pulse wave velocity (PWV) measurements and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) to evaluate aortic stiffness. RESULTS: Children in group 1 were older (mean age: 10.8 +/- 3.2 years vs. 8.5 +/- 2.8 years, P < 0.001) and had higher body mass index (20.3 +/- 5.6 kg/m 2 vs. 18.4 +/- 3.5 kg/m 2 , P < 0.001). PWV was increased in group 1 (5.02 +/- 0.7 m/s vs. 4.7 +/- 0.6, P < 0.001). However, vascular differences between the groups disappeared after adjusting for age, body mass index, and blood pressure. Soluble intracellular adhesion molecule-1 levels were elevated in children with a history of moderate/severe COVID-19 infection compared with controls (555.8 +/- 113.2 ng/mL vs. 428 +/- 42.6 ng/mL, P < 0.001). Cholesterol levels, inflammatory markers and cIMT were comparable between groups. Long COVID symptoms were reported mainly by participants of group 1 [34 (23.6%) vs. 3 (3.8%), P < 0.001]. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates insights into the long-term effects of COVID-19 infection in children. Evidence of endothelial activation without structural arterial changes was found. Persistent inflammation postinfection was absent, yet approximately one-quarter of the participants experienced long COVID symptoms, indicating potential differences in the pathophysiology of postacute COVID-19 infection in childhood.

Geoethics emphasizes responsible human interaction with the Earth, promoting ethical practices in the geosciences to ensure sustainability for current and future generations. UNESCO Global Geoparks (UGGps) are designated areas that support sustainable development by integrating geoconservation, geoeducation, and community engagement, thereby raising awareness of geological heritage. This quantitative study employed an online questionnaire (n = 798) to assess geoethical awareness among residents of all nine Hellenic UGGps, with the aim of profiling environmental engagement and perceptions. The results indicate a generally high level of geoethical awareness, with Sitia UGGp exhibiting the highest average mean score (M− = 8.98, SD− = 1.34), reflecting strong community support and effective outreach efforts. In contrast, Lavreotiki UGGp (M− = 8.48, SD− = 1.15) and Psiloritis UGGp (M− = 8.33, SD− = 1.36) scored lower in areas such as community engagement and geotourism, suggesting opportunities for targeted improvement. Regional differences suggest that management, visibility, and local context significantly influence public perceptions. Cluster analysis identified four respondent profiles: (a) highly engaged environmental stewards (28.7%), (b) supportive but selective advocates (40.5%), (c) moderately indifferent participants (26.9%), and (d) disengaged or critical respondents (3.9%). Demographic factors such as age, residence, prior visits to Hellenic UGGps, and education significantly differentiated these groups. Mapping geoethical awareness provides a valuable tool for assessing societal benefits and enhancing the governance of UGGps. Overall, the findings underscore the need to shift from an anthropocentric to a more geocentric worldview that prioritizes the well-being of both humanity and Earth’s systems.

OBJECTIVES: Αn HIV-1 outbreak was identified among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Thessaloniki, Greece, during 2019-2021. We aimed to investigate the characteristics of this outbreak by means of molecular epidemiology. METHODS: We analysed 57 sequences from PWID sampled in Thessaloniki during 2019-2023. Phylogenetic trees were inferred using all subtype A sequences from PWID sampled since 1999 in Greece and reference sequences (n=4824). Phylodynamic analysis was performed using the Bayesian birth-death skyline serial model. RESULTS: Most of the 57 study sequences belonged to sub-subtypes A6 (49, 86%) and A1 (4, 7%). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that two (50%) A1 sequences clustered together and 47 (95.9%) A6 sequences fell within three PWID-specific phylogenetic clusters. The 99.6% and 77.9% of pairwise genetic distances within the largest and second largest PWID clusters were lower than 0.015 substitutions/site. Using a more stringent threshold (0.0015 substitutions/site), we identified five networks of sequences from PWID infected within 1 year. The effective reproduction number (R(e)) started to increase at the beginning of 2019 and remained high almost until the end of 2021. The estimated time from HIV-1 infection to diagnosis showed an increasing trend during 2020-2023 (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The regional clustering of the PWID sequences and their low genetic divergence confirm its local spreading and the recent nature of the outbreak. Using a stringent genetic distance threshold, we showed that HIV-1 transmission occurred among large groups of PWID. The time of epidemic growth coincided with the time of the initial identification, and HIV-1 transmission continued at high rates until 2021.

The aminolysis reaction between MN’’2 (N’’ = N(SiMe3)2; M = Fe, Co, Ni) and the neutral pro-ligand 6,6'-(1,4-phenylenebis(propane-2,2-diyl))bis(2,4-di-tert-butylphenol) (LH2) affords the low coordinate, isomorphous, monomeric bis-aryloxide complexes (2-M) (M =...

ABSTRACT Mediterranean mountainous areas and their valuable natural resources have long been attractive to human societies. The Peloponnese (southern Greece), with its complex topographic and climatic variability, has been the scenery for the development of numerous human communities. The existing paleovegetation records from the region derive mainly from lowland sites, while the vegetation succession of the mountains is not clearly understood. Herein, we focus on the sediment profile of Rakita, a wetland located in an isolated mountain basin in the northwestern Peloponnese. We combine pollen-based vegetation reconstruction with detailed historical and archeological data and analyze them within a broader well-connected region of the Peloponnese, characterized by an extensive coastline and central location in the Mediterranean trade system. In particular, we contextualize the pollen data with the detailed taxation registers, cadastres, and censuses produced by the Ottoman and Venetian authorities, which recorded agricultural production and population. The high-resolution pollen profile covers the last 1100 years, and thus we are able to look at more than a millennium of socioeconomic change that witnessed a variety of political and economic systems that controlled the Rakita upland area. We are able to study how these different systems impacted the area of Rakita, which has sizable environmental potential for human exploitation, yet is not easily accessible, and therefore not the first choice for human actors whose goal was to maximize agricultural production of the region. We discover that a smaller scale non-imperial but deeply market-oriented political system of the late medieval period, such as the Principality of Achaea, was more successful in intensifying land use even in such isolated locations as Rakita than the large imperial systems of the Byzantine or Ottoman empires, even during their most intensive phases of growth.

Unidirectional propagation based on surface magnetoplasmons (SMPs) has recently been realized at the interface of magnetized semiconductors. However, usually SMPs lose their unidirectionality due to nonlocal effects, especially in the lower trivial band gap of such structures. More recently, a truly unidirectional SMP (USMP)hasbeen demonstrated in the upper topological nontrivial band gap, but it supports only a single USMP, limiting its functionality. In this work, we present a fundamental physical model for multiple, robust, truly topological USMP modes at terahertz (THz) frequencies, realized in a semiconductor-dielectric-semiconductor (SDS) slab waveguide under opposing external magnetic fields. We analytically derive the dispersion properties of the SMPs and perform numerical analysis in both local and nonlocal models. Our results show that the SDS waveguide supports two truly (even and odd) USMP modes in the upper topological nontrivial band gap. Exploiting these two modes, we demonstrate unidirectional SMP multimode interference (USMMI), being highly robust and immune to backscattering, overcoming the back-reflection issue in conventional bidirectional waveguides. To demonstrate the usefulness of this approach, we numerically realize a frequency and magneti cally tunable arbitrary-ratio splitter based on this robust USMMI, enabling multimode conversion. We, further, identify a unique index-near-zero (INZ) odd USMP mode in the SDS waveguide, distinct from conventional semiconductor-dielectric-metal waveguides. Leveraging this INZ mode, we achieve phase modulation with a phase shift from −π to π. Our work expands the manipulation of topological waves and enriches the field of truly nonreciprocal topological physics for practical device applications.

Childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (chALL) remains the most prevalent malignancy in children and adolescents. Improving risk stratification and providing personalized prognosis and treatment remain major clinical challenges. Herein, we analysed the clinical utility of NEAT1 lncRNA for the prognosis and prediction of treatment outcome of childhood B-cell precursor ALL (chB-ALL). NEAT1_1 isoform was quantified in bone marrow samples of chB-ALL patients at diagnosis (n = 160) and at the end of induction (n = 108) of ALL-BFM protocol, and in age-matched healthy children (n = 68). Relapse and death served as clinical end-points for survival analysis. Bootstrap analysis was performed for internal validation and decision curve analysis assessed the clinical net benefit for chB-ALL prognosis. Our analysis showed that chB-ALL patients with NEAT1 overexpression at diagnosis are at significantly higher risk for progression (HR = 2.957, 95% CI: 1.122-7.790, p = 0.011) and worse survival (HR = 5.832, 95% CI: 1.259-27.01, p = 0.012), independently of clinicopathological and treatment data. Moreover, NEAT1-fitted multivariate models resulted in improved risk stratification compared to the conventional disease markers of white blood cells, bone marrow response and minimal residual disease, while decision curve analysis highlighted the superior clinical net benefit for chB-ALL prognosis. In conclusion, NEAT1 overexpression constitutes a powerful, independent predictor of poor treatment outcomes and disease progression of chB-ALL, providing refined stratification of patient's risk.

Given the critical role of zeroing neural networks (ZNN) in various fields and the practical demand for models in effectively resisting real-time noise, this study introduces a novel anti-noise integral zeroing neural network (AN-IZNN) model alongside its enhanced counterpart (EAN-IZNN), for the applications of matrix problem solving. Theoretical analysis demonstrates their ability to achieve convergence even under different noise conditions. Both theoretical analyses and simulation validations highlight the superior performance of the proposed models over existing neural network models. Notably, the root mean square error of the proposed AN-IZNN and EAN-IZNN models is reduced by 92.6249% and 91.4178%, respectively, compared to scenarios without the proposed method, demonstrating the effectiveness of the solution.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The year 2023 marked the 10-year anniversary of the launch of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV). Monitoring HCV treatment trends by country, region, and globally is important to assess progress toward the World Health Organization's 2030 elimination targets. Additionally, the historical patterns can help predict the treatment uptake for future therapies for other liver diseases. METHODS: The number of people living with HCV (PLHCV) treated between 2014-2023 across 119 countries was estimated using national HCV registries, reported DAA sales data, pharmaceutical companies' reports, and estimates provided by national experts. For the countries with no available data, the average estimate of the corresponding Global Burden of Disease region was used. RESULTS: An estimated 13,816,000 (95% uncertainty intervals: 13,221,000-16,415,000) PLHCV were treated, of whom 12,748,000 (12,226,000-15,231,000) were treated with DAAs, of which 11,081,000 (10,542,000-13,338,000) were sofosbuvir-based DAA regimens. Country-level data accounted for 97% of these estimates. In high-income countries, there was a 41% drop in treatment from its peak, and reimbursement was a large predictor of treatment. In low- and middle-income countries, price played an important role in expanding treatment access through the public and private markets, and treatment continues to increase slowly after a sharp drop at the end of the Egyptian national program. CONCLUSIONS: In the last 10 years, 21% of all HCV infections were treated with DAAs. Regional and temporal variations highlight the importance of active screening strategies. Without program enhancements, the number of treated PLHCV stalled in every country/region, which may not reflect a lower prevalence but may instead reflect the diminishing returns of existing strategies. IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS: Long-term hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. Since 2014, these infections can be effectively treated with 8-12 weeks of oral therapies. In 2015, the World Health Organization established targets to eliminate HCV by 2030, which included treatment targets for member countries. The current study examines HCV treatment patterns across 119 countries and regions from 2014 to 2023 to assess the impact of national programs. This study can assist physicians and policymakers in understanding treatment patterns within similar regions or income groups and in utilizing historical data to refine their strategies in the future.

Piezoelectric phononic-crystal plates, structured on their surface with metallic strips introducing electric-circuit loads, exhibit a tunable frequency-dispersion behaviour, nondestructively controlled in real time. Under an appropriate choice of boundary conditions through these loads, obeying a space-time propagation rule, it is demonstrated experimentally that these systems support nonreciprocal propagation of Lamb-like guided modes in their interior. The observations combined with numerical calculations confirm a broadband translation of the dispersion curves in the frequency-wavenumber space depending on the modulation speed. A careful analysis reveals a simple vector-rule relationship between the static bands and those induced by the time modulation of the external loads in the dispersion diagram. The device proposed in this study, offering dynamic changes in the electric boundary conditions by making use of switches driven by a microcontroller, thus, becomes an efficient tool not only for the realization of real-time control of elastic waves but also, and more importantly, a versatile platform for a robust generation of nonreciprocity effects in tunable, low-dimensional systems.

Abstract Ocean water clarity, influenced by marine chlorophyll concentration, significantly alters the distribution of shortwave radiation in the water column. This work aims to assess the effects of varying chlorophyll on the upper-ocean physical properties and their subsequent impact on the atmosphere, using a coupled ocean-atmosphere regional model for the Mediterranean and Black Seas. We performed 11-year (2011–2021) twin-simulation experiments based on different chlorophyll concentrations to estimate the penetration of solar radiation in the ocean. The first simulation used a monthly climatology field of chlorophyll concentrations derived from satellite observations, while in the second experiment, the chlorophyll concentration was kept constant at 0.05 mgm−3 \$\mathrm{m}\mathrm{g}\ {\mathrm{m}}^{-3}\$, representing clear water conditions. Results show that radiative heating driven by chlorophyll amplifies the seasonal cycle of temperature in the upper layers, leading to increased surface warming in summer and surface cooling in winter. Also, higher surface chlorophyll contributes to cooling in subsurface layers throughout the year due to its shading effect. The temperature response to chlorophyll variations is controlled by the mixed layer depth and a balance between (a) direct near-surface radiative heating due to the chlorophyll absorption and (b) indirect cooling resulting from vertical turbulent mixing processes with subsurface waters. The atmosphere moderates the seasonal sea surface temperature (SST) response caused by chlorophyll differential heating primarily through changes in latent heat flux. Ultimately, our simulations suggest that increased surface chlorophyll concentrations enhance the Mediterranean overturning circulation, highlighting the necessity of incorporating realistic optical forcing into regional climate modeling studies.

Abstract Ocean water clarity, influenced by marine chlorophyll concentration, significantly alters the distribution of shortwave radiation in the water column. This work aims to assess the effects of varying chlorophyll on the upper-ocean physical properties and their subsequent impact on the atmosphere, using a coupled ocean-atmosphere regional model for the Mediterranean and Black Seas. We performed 11-year (2011–2021) twin-simulation experiments based on different chlorophyll concentrations to estimate the penetration of solar radiation in the ocean. The first simulation used a monthly climatology field of chlorophyll concentrations derived from satellite observations, while in the second experiment, the chlorophyll concentration was kept constant at 0.05 \$\mathrm{m}\mathrm{g}\ {\mathrm{m}}^{-3}\$, representing clear water conditions. Results show that radiative heating driven by chlorophyll amplifies the seasonal cycle of temperature in the upper layers, leading to increased surface warming in summer and surface cooling in winter. Also, higher surface chlorophyll contributes to cooling in subsurface layers throughout the year due to its shading effect. The temperature response to chlorophyll variations is controlled by the mixed layer depth and a balance between (a) direct near-surface radiative heating due to the chlorophyll absorption and (b) indirect cooling resulting from vertical turbulent mixing processes with subsurface waters. The atmosphere moderates the seasonal sea surface temperature (SST) response caused by chlorophyll differential heating primarily through changes in latent heat flux. Ultimately, our simulations suggest that increased surface chlorophyll concentrations enhance the Mediterranean overturning circulation, highlighting the necessity of incorporating realistic optical forcing into regional climate modeling studies.

Metalloporphyrins on interfaces offer a rich playground for functional materials and hence have been subjected to intense scrutiny over the past decades. As the same porphyrin macrocycle on the same surface may exhibit vastly different physicochemical properties depending on the metal center and its substituents, it is vital to have a thorough structural and chemical characterization of such systems. Here, we explore the distinctions arising from coverage and macrocycle substituents on the closely related ruthenium octaethyl porphyrin and ruthenium tetrabenzo porphyrin on Ag(111). Our investigation employs a multitechnique approach in ultrahigh vacuum, combining scanning tunneling microscopy, low-energy electron diffraction, photoelectron spectroscopy, normal incidence X-ray standing wave, and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure, supported by density functional theory. This methodology allows for a thorough examination of the nuanced differences in the self-assembly, substrate modification, molecular conformation and adsorption height.Metalloporphyrins on interfaces offer a rich playground for functional materials and hence have been subjected to intense scrutiny over the past decades. As the same porphyrin macrocycle on the same surface may exhibit vastly different physicochemical properties depending on the metal center and its substituents, it is vital to have a thorough structural and chemical characterization of such systems. Here, we explore the distinctions arising from coverage and macrocycle substituents on the closely related ruthenium octaethyl porphyrin and ruthenium tetrabenzo porphyrin on Ag(111). Our investigation employs a multitechnique approach in ultrahigh vacuum, combining scanning tunneling microscopy, low-energy electron diffraction, photoelectron spectroscopy, normal incidence X-ray standing wave, and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure, supported by density functional theory. This methodology allows for a thorough examination of the nuanced differences in the self-assembly, substrate modification, molecular conformation and adsorption height.

The main objective of modern organizations is to acquire a long-term competitive advantage, so that they may cope with the requirements of organizations' complex and unstable environment. In this context, several companies try to transform themselves into Learning Organizations. The aim of this paper is to  reveal whether the awarded companies in Greece, in terms of working environment, provide learning opportunities to their employees within their working environment.  The quantitative method was employed, and a reliable questionnaire was filled by 80 employees, who work for an awarded company as one of the best companies in Greece, by a certified international organization called "Great Place to Work", DLOQ-Dimensions of the Organization Learning Questionnaire with 55 items, was selected as a valid and reliable instrument, in order to evaluate the dimensions of organizational learning and organizational performance. The findings of the current research, indicate that the company under study, has the characteristics of a Learning Organization and that the adoption of the seven dimensions of the Learning Organization has a positive impact on organizational performance. According to the study results, the subject company, identifies the importance of developing a learning culture in order to increase its performance and due to this fact, it takes all actions required for the development and training of human resources, so that it may reach its objectives.

The Gulf of Corinth (GoC), derived from a geologically young active rift, offers a unique opportunity to study changes in environmental conditions during the Quaternary period in a region where long sequences are few. Due to periods of isolation during Quaternary lowstands, the water conditions were not favorable for the occurrence of conventional palaeoceanographical proxies such as planktonic foraminifera. We present here the first almost continuous record of phytoplankton proxies (dinoflagellate cysts) and freshwater palynomorphs (green algae) for the past 1.1 Myr aiming to provide a comprehensive insight into palaeoceanographic variability between glacial and interglacials cycles. Core M0078A retrieved during the IODP expedition 381 contains a rich and diverse dinoflagellate cyst assemblage, sorted into two major ecogroups, representing alternations between marine and brackish conditions. Our results allow for the first time the reconstruction of the Gulf environmental history of connection and disconnection from marine conditions from late Pleistocene to Holocene (1.1Ma – present). Dinocysts and other palynomorphs (NPPs) suggest that the GoC was repeatedly isolated and reconnected to the Mediterranean Sea during global sea-level lowstands associated with glacial intervals. These combined proxies suggest that marine water flowed into the GoC during the eustatic highstands associated with interglacial intervals. The dinocyst assemblages show a close affinity to modern assemblages from the Black, Caspian, and Marmara Seas.

We present a comprehensive investigation into the synthesis, phase evolution and valence state of vanadium (V) in V1−xFexO2 (x = 0 %, 0.5 %, 0.75 %, 1.0 %) compounds. Polycrystalline samples have been synthesized with solid-state reaction method, followed by thermal annealing. X-Ray Powder Diffraction (XRPD) analyzed by Le Bail method revealed the transformation from monoclinic (M1) phase (space group: P21∕c) to triclinic (T) one with increasing Fe concentration. Additionally, a monoclinic (M2) phase (space group: C2∕m) emerged at 1.0 % Fe doping. Temperature-dependent XRPD and diffuse reflectance measurements elucidated the phase transitions during heating cycles, showing the impact of Fe doping on the system’s behavior. The construction of a complete phase diagram for the V1−xFexO2 system (x ≤ 1.0 %) was achieved, addressing ambiguities in the low-Fe concentration region. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) further confirmed the influence of Fe doping on the vanadium valence states, indicating an increase of V5+ sites and therefore a lattice distortion and stabilization of the triclinic phase. The metal-insulator transition temperature (TMIT) appears to be almost constant. Post-annealing led to the reinstatement of the M1 phase in all samples, and a modified phase diagram was constructed. The accompanied decrease of V5+ ions contributed to the destabilization of the T and M2 phases, favoring the thermodynamically stable M1 phase. The findings provide valuable insights into the complex phase behavior of V1−xFexO2 compounds, showcasing a significant interplay between charge redistribution, the vanadium valence state, and the oxygen defects of the system.

BACKGROUND: Accurate population size estimation of people who inject drugs (PWID) is essential for evidence-based drug policy and service planning, yet it remains challenging. An emerging HIV outbreak in Thessaloniki, Greece's second-largest city, highlighted the urgent need for evidence-based population size estimates. METHODS: We applied capture-recapture analysis to five respondent-driven sampling (RDS) rounds conducted during 2019-2021 to estimate PWID population size in Thessaloniki for the 2019-2021 period. These RDS rounds were part of a community-based program aimed at increasing HIV/HCV testing and linkage to care among PWID. We treated each RDS round as a capture source and used log-linear models to estimate PWID population size (past 12 months and past 30 days), accounting for potential dependencies between rounds through interaction terms. We then estimated HIV/HCV disease burden and assessed prevention and harm reduction service coverage against international standards (HIV testing, OAT, NSP). RESULTS: Based on data from 1093 unique participants across five rounds (53.9% currently injecting, 20.3% currently in OAT), capture-recapture analysis estimated 1512 PWID (95% confidence interval (CI): 1345-1741) who had injected drugs in the past 12 months. The estimated prevalence of injecting drug use was 0.22% (95% CI: 0.20-0.25) among adults aged 18-64 years. We estimated 106 people living with HIV (95% uncertainty interval (UI): 83-130) and 945 HCV-antibody-positive individuals (95% UI: 815-1077) among PWID. Needle and syringe program coverage was 36 (95% CI: 31-40) syringes per PWID in 2021. CONCLUSION: Based on this community-based population size estimate, the prevalence of injection was nearly double the official national Greek average. The annual distribution of syringes should increase by 5.6 times to reach the WHO target (≥200 syringes/PWID/year). These findings demonstrate how community-based programs with multiple RDS rounds can also yield population estimates essential for evidence-based drug policy interventions.

New presentations of Specht modules of symmetric groups over fields of characteristic zero have been obtained by Brauner, Friedmann, Hanlon, Stanley and Wachs. These involve generators that are column tabloids and relations that are Garnir relations with maximal number of exchanges between consecutive columns or symmetrization of Garnir relations with minimal number of exchanges between consecutive columns. In this paper, we examine Garnir relations and their symmetrization with any number of exchanges. In both cases, we provide sufficient arithmetic conditions so that the corresponding quotient is a Specht module. In particular, in the first case this yields new presentations of Specht modules if the parts of the conjugate partition that correspond to maximal number of exchanges greater than 1 are distinct. These results generalize the presentations mentioned above and offer an answer to a question of Friedmann, Hanlon and Wachs. Our approach is via representations of the general linear group.

This study reviewed the benefits of outdoor activities and educational programs that take place in nature in terms of the cognitive and mental development of children. Research has highlighted the benefits offered to children by their participation in experiential activities that take place outdoors and are related to natural phenomena. These activities help children realize how important it is to conserve nature and protect sites of world heritage, thus becoming active citizens in the future. In this study, the uniqueness of Syros Island is presented, emphasizing the need for the world-renowned geological heritage of Syros to be preserved and promoted, both for the scientific community and for the public, with the aim of establishing a geopark in Apano Meria, as proposed by local authorities, along with a local museum. In this context, a working methodology was developed involving the design and implementation of a pilot educational program combining field-based activities, guided interpretation, and interactive learning tools. An indicative educational program was piloted with primary and secondary school students, as well as postgraduate students from the University of Athens. Recognizing the important role of geoparks in school education, the program focused on the rare geological phenomena on the northern side of Syros and was adapted to the characteristics of each participant age group.

The Rab3 protein family is composed of a series of small GTP-binding proteins, including Rab3a, Rab3b, Rab3c, and Rab3d, termed Rab3s. They play crucial roles in health, including in brain function, such as through the regulation of synaptic transmission and neuronal activities. In the high-energy-demanding and high-traffic neurons, the Rab3s regulate essential cellular processes, including trafficking of synaptic vesicles and lysosomal positioning, which are pivotal for the maintenance of synaptic integrity and neuronal physiology. Emerging findings suggest that alterations in Rab3s expression are associated with age-related neurodegenerative pathologies, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Huntington's disease, among others. Here, we provide an overview of how Rab3s dysregulation disrupts neuronal homeostasis, contributing to impaired autophagy, synaptic dysfunction, and eventually leading to neuronal death. We highlight emerging questions on how Rab3s safeguards the brain and how their dysfunction contributes to the different neurodegenerative diseases. We propose fine-tuning the Rab3s signaling directly or indirectly, such as via targeting their upstream protein AMPK, holding therapeutic potential.

People who inject drugs (PWIDs) remain underserved in HIV care. Evidence on rapid antiretroviral therapy (ART) for PWID is limited. We evaluated feasibility, effectiveness, safety, and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) for rapid initiation of bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (BIC/FTC/TAF) supported by a peer navigation in Greece. This is a single-arm, multicenter pilot study including PWIDs (≥18 years) newly diagnosed or relinking after >3 months off ART. Participants started BIC/FTC/TAF on the same day or within 7 days and received peer navigation for 48 weeks. Co-primary endpoints were Week-24 virologic suppression (HIV-1 RNA < 50 copies/mL; FDA Snapshot) and grade 3-4 adverse events (AEs). Secondary endpoints included complete-case suppression at Weeks 24/48, CD4 recovery, retention, and PROs. Outcomes were compared with historical controls from the same centers. Thirty-seven participants were enrolled (83.8% male; median age 33.3 years). Median time to ART was 0 days (vs 78 in controls, p < 0.001). Retention was 67.6% at Week 24 and 54.1% at Week 48. In the primary (FDA Snapshot) analysis, suppression was 62.2% and 54.1% at Weeks 24 and 48; in complete-case analyses, results were 92.0% and 100%, respectively. Mean CD4 count increased by 208 cells/μL (95% CI 141-275) at Week 48. Quality of life improved and symptom burden decreased. No grade 3-4 AEs occurred. Rapid BIC/FTC/TAF with peer navigation eliminated delays to ART and achieved favorable virologic, immunologic, and PROs among those retained, with good tolerability. Despite retention challenges, this model appears feasible for PWID and may help close HIV care gaps toward UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets.

The index-near-zero (INZ) mode exhibits novel spatial phase invariance characteristics. Recent research has focused on exploring INZ-related phenomena using metamaterials, metasurfaces, and photonic crystal (PhC) structures. However, most currently proposed INZ modes lack flexible control and are challenging to implement. Additionally, INZ modes near the Dirac point in PhCs typically operate only at specific frequencies. In this study, Chern PhCs composed of simple magneto-optical materials are utilized to regulate topologically unidirectional INZ electromagnetic modes by adjusting the air thickness and varying the magnitude of an external magnetic field. Due to the unidirectional robustness and near-zero phase shift characteristics of the INZ mode, three application scenarios are proposed: a phase inverter, a perfect 50/50 splitter, and high-performance broadband sensors. This work provides a new platform and approach for optical communication and computing.

The persistence of high relapse rates and therapy resistance continues to challenge the effective management of multiple myeloma (MM). The identification of novel MM-specific molecular markers could ameliorate risk-stratification tools and accurately identify high-risk patients towards personalized prognosis and therapy. miRNA-seq analysis of CD138+ plasma cells (n = 24) unveiled miR-221-3p and miR-222-3p (miR-221/222 cluster) as the most downregulated miRNAs in R-ISS III compared to R-ISS I/II patients. Subsequently, miR-221/222 levels were quantified by RT-qPCR in CD138+ plasma cells of our screening cohort (n = 141), assessing patients' mortality and disease progression as clinical endpoints. Internal validation was performed by bootstrap analysis, while clinical benefit was estimated by decision curve analysis. Kryukov et al. (n = 149) and Aass et al. (n = 86) served as institutional-independent validation cohorts. Loss of miR-221/222 cluster was strongly associated with patients' short-term progression and poor overall survival, which was confirmed by Kryukov et al. and Aass et al. validation cohorts. Intriguingly, miR-221/222-fitted multivariate models offered superior risk-stratification within R-ISS staging and risk-based cytogenetics. Moreover, miR-221/222 loss could effectively discriminate optimal 1st-line treatment responders with inferior treatment outcome. Our study identified the loss of miR-221/222 cluster as a powerful independent predictor of patients' post-treatment progression, ameliorating prognosis and supporting precision medicine in MM.

A Bay of Biscay model configuration is used as a test case to assess the data-based consistency of ensemble-based ocean model uncertainties of several types: [A] built-in stochastic parameterizations at regional ocean scales, [B] ocean model response to a global atmospheric model ensemble and [C] both A and B simultaneously. Ensembles of varying length were generated. In addition to a seasonal-range ensemble, three medium-range ensembles were carried out over successive overlapping segments permitting to compare consistency metrics for different lead times. The largest spread was obtained for the C case, although most of the model uncertainties were attributable to the stochastic ocean parameterizations in A. We addressed the question of which ensemble type and lead time was able to provide the most realistic model uncertainties given observations of SST, sea level, and Chlorophyll a, using a theoretical and diagnostic consistency analysis framework expanded from Vervatis et al. (2021a). In our results, consistency was satisfactory for the stochastic ensembles of types A and C, for the “aged” error cases (but only marginally with respect to the “young” error cases), and whenever physical and biogeochemical uncertainty processes were active in the region and could be detected by the observational networks, such as the onset of the spring shoaling of the thermocline and the phytoplankton abundance primary bloom. Sea level empirical consistency was improved when a wide range of low- to high-frequency errors were included in the signal of dynamic atmospheric process in the data and in the model inverse barometer. These findings provide additional insight that can help configure ensemble-based methods in academic studies and in operational ocean forecasting systems.

Here we report definite results on the mathematical metabolization of Maxwell’s equations in one of the building units, most commonly met in practice. We investigate the static/quasi-static case of a linear, homogeneous and isotropic magnetic and dielectric cylinder of intrinsic susceptibility, xint, subjected to an external potential/field, Uext/Fext, of any form on the plane normal to the directional axis, produced by a primary source that resides at the outside space. Specifically, here we address analytically a magnetic and dielectric cylinder of seemingly infinite length along the z axis, subjected to an external potential/field, Uext/Fext, that does not vary along the z axis, as well. An expansion-based mathematical approach is employed, enabling direct access to universal expressions of the response of the magnetic and dielectric cylinder, i.e., the internal potential/field, Uint/Fint, produced by the secondary source of bound charges that is originally induced by the external potential/field, Uext/Fext. Accordingly, ready-to-use expressions of the total potential/field, U=Uext+Uint/F=Fext+Fint, and of the polarization, P, of the magnetic and dielectric cylinder are directly obtained. These universal expressions are applicable to every distinct problem of different Uext/Fext, without the need to tackle it mathematically, every time, from the beginning. Interestingly, the depolarization factor, N, and extrinsic susceptibility, xext, are degenerate, obtaining a constant value irrespectively of the mode of the external potential/field, Uext/Fext. These universal expressions between Uint-Uext, U-Uext, Fint-Fext, F-Fint and P-Fext provide effective means to understand, design and realize cylindrical building units with specific characteristics.

We investigate the effects of non-synchronous trading on volatility spillover for the G-7 equity markets during the Eurozone sovereign debt crisis (ESDC) and the Covid-19 pandemic crisis. For data synchronisation we utilise ΜΑ(1) adjusted return series to estimate the Baba-Engle-Kraft-Kroner (BEKK) and the dynamic conditional correlation (DCC) models. We also consider the use of realised kernels as explanatory variables in the variance equation. In this set up, the contagion effects during crises periods are more perceptible, as the spikes are easier to interpret. We also check the robustness of our main results by applying, wavelet coherence analysis to G-7 major equity indices with realised kernels, as well as local Gaussian correlations (LGC). Our findings suggest the empirical significance of the synchronisation effects for the US and the other G-7 equity markets. We also conclude that realised kernels is an effective tool for mitigating non-synchronous effects. These results underline the significance of quantifying the synchronisation effects in equity markets as well as international portfolio diversification strategies.

Air–sea interactions play a pivotal role in shaping cyclone development and evolution. In this context, this study investigates the role of ocean optical properties and solar radiation penetration in modulating subsurface heat content and their subsequent influence on the intensity of Mediterranean cyclones. Using a regional coupled ocean–wave–atmosphere model, we conducted sensitivity experiments for Storm Daniel (2023) comparing two solar radiation penetration schemes in the ocean model component: one with a constant light attenuation depth and another with chlorophyll-dependent attenuation based on satellite estimates. Results show that the chlorophyll-driven radiative heating scheme consistently produces warmer sea surface temperatures (SSTs) prior to cyclone onset, leading to stronger cyclones characterized by deeper minimum mean sea-level pressure, intensified convective activity, and increased rainfall. However, post-storm SST cooling is also amplified due to stronger wind stress and vertical mixing, potentially influencing subsequent local atmospheric conditions. Overall, this work demonstrates that ocean bio-optical processes can meaningfully impact Mediterranean cyclone behavior, highlighting the importance of using appropriate underwater light attenuation schemes and ocean color remote sensing data in coupled models.

The macrocyclic biquinazoline ligand, H-Mabiq, presents a central and a peripheral site for the coordination of metal ions, making the adsorption on solid surfaces promising for the creation of self-assembled bimetallic two-dimensional platforms. Here, we apply an on-surface metalation strategy under ultra-high vacuum conditions to guide the synthesis of metalated species and study sequential metalation patterns. We find that cobalt (as well as iron) metalation on the Ag(111) surface preferentially occurs at the macrocyclic centre without further metal coordination to the peripheral site. Nevertheless, starting from a densely packed, self-assembled H-Mabiq monolayer, the modification of the central cavity by Co is accompanied by an unusual, metalation-induced phase transformation which gives evidence of modified lateral / interfacial interactions. The selective metalation of one molecular site opens up an on-surface route to create bimetallic networks incorporating select metal ions at different locations.

Solving Lur'e equations plays a critical role in addressing linear-quadratic optimal control (LQOC) problems, especially in cases where the control cost matrices are singular. This paper introduces, for the first time, two novel zeroing neural network (ZNN) models—ZNNLE and ZNNLE-LQOC—specifically designed to solve the Lur'e equation system and the LQOC problem, respectively. The proposed models extend the applicability of the ZNN methodology to these challenging scenarios by offering robust and efficient solutions to time-varying matrix equations. Theoretical analyses confirm the validity of both models, while numerical simulations and practical applications demonstrate their effectiveness. Moreover, a comparative study with an enhanced alternating-direction implicit (ADI) method highlights the superior performance of the ZNNLE-LQOC model in solving LQOC problems.

We have theoretically investigated surface magnetoplasmons (SMPs) in an yttrium-iron-garnet (YIG) sandwiched waveguide. The dispersion demonstrated that this waveguide can support topological unidirectional SMPs. Based on unidirectional SMPs, magnetically controllable multimode interference (MMI) is verified in both symmetric and asymmetric waveguides. Due to the coupling between the modes along two YIG–air interfaces, the asymmetric waveguide supports a unidirectional even mode within a single-mode frequency range. Moreover, these modes are topologically protected when a disorder is introduced. Utilizing robust unidirectional SMP MMI (USMMI), tunable splitters have been achieved. It has been demonstrated that mode conversion between different modes can be realized. These results provide many degrees of freedom to manipulate topological waves.

Complex-frequency excitations have recently attracted a lot of attention owing to their ability to solve a number of extraordinary challenges in photonics, such as overcoming losses without gain in metalenses and plasmonic waveguides and achieving virtual absorption. However, the totality of the works so far has been mainly computational or experimental, and a full theory of the complex dynamics enabled by these excitations is still missing. Here, we develop a fully analytical, exact time-domain theory for the dynamical scattering of these excitations by both sides of dielectric plates, which have been used to achieve virtual absorption. Our precise theoretical analysis confirms previous observations and, in addition, reveals a number of intriguing phenomena that were previously missed, such as discontinuities in the scattering of the outgoing electromagnetic field and release of the stored energy in distinct packets.

We develop a full-wave electromagnetic (EM) theory for calculating the multipole decomposition in two-dimensional (2-D) structures consisting of isolated, arbitrarily shaped, inhomogeneous, anisotropic cylinders or a collection of such. To derive the multipole decomposition, we first solve the scattering problem by expanding the scattered electric field in divergenceless cylindrical vector wave functions (CVWFs) with unknown expansion coefficients that characterize the multipole response. These expansion coefficients are then expressed via contour integrals of the vectorial components of the scattered electric field evaluated via an electric field volume integral equation (EFVIE). The kernels of the EFVIE are the products of the tensorial 2-D Green’s function (GF) expansion and the equivalent 2-D volumetric electric and magnetic current densities. We validate the theory using the commercial finite element solver COMSOL Multiphysics. In the validation, we compute the multipole decomposition of the fields scattered from various 2-D structures and compare the results with alternative formulations. Finally, we demonstrate the applicability of the theory to study an emerging photonics application on oligomer-based highly directional switching using active media. This analysis addresses a critical gap in the current literature, where multipole theories exist primarily for three-dimensional (3-D) particles of isotropic materials. Our work enhances the understanding and utilization of the optical properties of 2-D, inhomogeneous, and anisotropic cylindrical structures, contributing to advancements in photonic and meta-optics technologies.

Rainbow trapping is a wave localization phenomenon in which different frequencies are spatially separated and con f ined by engineering dispersion through structural gradients. Initially demonstrated in tapered metamaterial systems, this concept has since been extended to plasmonic, photonic, acoustic, and elastic platforms, where graded-index profiles, chirped periodicities, and tapered geometries are used to control the group velocity and localize wave components at distinct spatial positions. These implementations enable high resolution spectral manipulation and form the foundation for broadband wave control. More recently, topological rainbow trapping has emerged as a robust alternative, leveraging topo logically protected states to achieve disorder-immune fre quency localization. This approach offers enhanced resilience to fabrication imperfections and opens new possibilities for scalable, integrated wave-based devices. In this review, we examine the physical mechanisms, system-specific implemen tations, and recent advances in both conventional and topo logical rainbow trapping. We also highlight promising appli cations ranging from optical communication and wavelength multiplexing to acoustic wave manipulation and vibrational energy harvesting and discuss key challenges and future directions in this rapidly evolving field.

We examine utterances that contain merely contrastive, corrective, confirmative, and mirative focus structures in Greek. Through a perception experiment, we provide evidence regarding listener preferences about the syntactic position (‘high’ vs ‘low’) of the contrastively focused objects in SVO vs OVS patterns. The results suggest that listeners consider utterances with all four focus types acceptable, regardless of whether the sentential object appears in a ‘high’ or ‘low’ position in Greek, unlike other languages. Moreover, specific listener preferences are brought to light for each focus type: there is a clear preference for a ‘low’ position for mere focus, versus a ‘high’ one for corrective, while there is almost equal preference for both positions in the mirative and the confirmative structures. These findings support the distinction among the different types of contrastive focus with their respective (semantic, pragmatic, syntactic, and intonational) properties.

Research on environmental education in Greece highlights the urgent need to integrate climate change education into school curricula due to the severe impacts of the climate crisis. Despite growing social awareness, implementation is hindered by limited resources resulting from the economic crisis, fragmented content in textbooks, and inadequate legislation. Technological advancements present new opportunities for enhancing environmental education. This article reviews the current state of environmental education and proposes strategic directions to improve its effectiveness. A SWOT analysis identifies internal strengths and weaknesses, along with external opportunities and threats, while a PEST analysis evaluates political, economic, social, and technological influences. Based on these assessments, strategic goals and directions are outlined, focusing on the comprehensive integration of Environmental Education for Climate Change into Greece’s compulsory education system. Key proposals include the development of clear policies, structured guidelines, and curriculum adaptations to address the evolving challenges of climate change. A cohesive national framework is recommended to ensure the consistent implementation of environmental education across all educational levels. These initiatives aim to prepare future generations with the necessary knowledge and skills to mitigate and adapt to climate change, fostering a more sustainable society.

Cold air outbreaks (CAOs) are phenomena that occur across high latitudes during winter months and favor the development of extensive boundary layer clouds. As the boundary layer evolves, changes in cloud morphology often result in a stratocumulus to cumulus transition (SCT). The onset of precipitation is considered to be a key factor that leads to the break-up of the stratocumulus deck. In this modeling study we investigate the additional role that aerosols have on the SCT within a CAO event in the North Atlantic, by using prognostic fields for both aerosols and cloud droplet number concentrations (Nd). By using two chemical/aerosol schemes we assess and quantify the impact of aerosols on the SCT evolution. Our results indicate that the aerosol load and its chemical composition affect the timing of precipitation initiation and its magnitude and thus the break-up. However, the two schemes reveal contradictory results, which are mainly associated with different aerosol size and chemical composition partitioning between modes and bins. The simulations with the aerosol scheme, which considers the modal approach, show that the reduction of Nd across the SCT is driven by changes in the cloud liquid water content, the sulfate availability, and the fine sea-spray availability in the cumulus region, which suppresses sulfate activation. The Nd decreases mostly follow the decrease in accumulation-mode aerosols. For the scheme that considers the sectional approach, both the stratiform and the cumulus clouds appear sensitive to new particles formation and their competition for water. However, in the cumulus region, the higher updrafts and the greater availability of fine sea salt particles become critical for the activation of small particles. New particle formation and background sulfate concentrations are critical in this pristine environment, while sea salt particles have a significant impact on SCT in both sets of simulations.

Cold air outbreaks (CAOs) are phenomena that occur across high latitudes during winter months and favor the development of extensive boundary layer clouds. As the boundary layer evolves, changes in cloud morphology often result in a stratocumulus to cumulus transition (SCT). The onset of precipitation is considered to be a key factor that leads to the break-up of the stratocumulus deck. In this modeling study we investigate the additional role that aerosols have on the SCT within a CAO event in the North Atlantic, by using prognostic fields for both aerosols and cloud droplet number concentrations (Nd). By using two chemical/aerosol schemes we assess and quantify the impact of aerosols on the SCT evolution. Our results indicate that the aerosol load and its chemical composition affect the timing of precipitation initiation and its magnitude and thus the break-up. However, the two schemes reveal contradictory results, which are mainly associated with different aerosol size and chemical composition partitioning between modes and bins. The simulations with the aerosol scheme, which considers the modal approach, show that the reduction of Nd across the SCT is driven by changes in the cloud liquid water content, the sulfate availability, and the fine sea-spray availability in the cumulus region, which suppresses sulfate activation. The Nd decreases mostly follow the decrease in accumulation-mode aerosols. For the scheme that considers the sectional approach, both the stratiform and the cumulus clouds appear sensitive to new particles formation and their competition for water. However, in the cumulus region, the higher updrafts and the greater availability of fine sea salt particles become critical for the activation of small particles. New particle formation and background sulfate concentrations are critical in this pristine environment, while sea salt particles have a significant impact on SCT in both sets of simulations.

Social identity may be a late-modern concept, styling one’s station in life through art, however, was indeed a recognizable trait of the past. Alexandrian art is the product of a society mixed both ethnically and culturally, so much so that social framing in it appears to become an end in itself. Acknowledging the liminality of death, funerary painting, and especially funerary portraiture from the Ptolemaic world, describes and defines the individual according to a predetermined set of values that are meant to reconfirm the community’s ways of representing itself. Through a series of remarkable examples, the lecture will comment on the development of Alexandrian funerary painting as a way of discussing Ptolemaic art in its Hellenistic context.

If we wish to formulate an axiomatic truth-theory interpreting a modal language and treat the symbol of necessity as a sentential operator and not as a quantifier over possible worlds, there arise various problems. These are due partly to the fact that words could have meant something other than what they actually mean and partly to certain principles of modal metaphysics. One of those principles is existentialism about propositions: a proposition that is expressed in a sentence containing a non-empty name could not exist if the referent of the name did not exist. The paper explains how the problems arise. It also explains how we can avoid them using substitutional quantification in the metalanguage. The truth-theory we can construct in that way is compositional and homophonic, and its theorems interpreting the various sentences of the modal language are derived in a straightforward way. The paper develops one such theory for a propositional modal language and one for a first-order modal language. The first-order case involves a number of intricacies that are discussed.

Neurodynamics is recognized as a powerful tool for addressing various problems in engineering, control, and intelligent systems. Over the past decade, neurodynamics-based methods and models have been rapidly developed, particularly in emerging areas such as neural computation and multi-agent systems. In this paper, we provide a brief survey of neurodynamics applied to computation and multi-agent systems. Specifically, we highlight key models and approaches related to time-varying computation, as well as cooperative and competitive behaviors in multi-agent systems. Furthermore, we discuss current challenges, potential opportunities, and promising future directions in this evolving field.

The synthesis and characterisation of two square planar {PdNO}10 pincer complexes of the form [Pd(pincer)(NO)]+ (pincer = 2,6-(tBu2PCH2)2C5H3N, 1; 2,6-(tBu2PO)2C5H3N, 2) are reported. These complexes are readily isolated by phosphine substitution of T-shaped [Pd(PtBu3)2(NO)]+ 3 in THF and the bent nitrosyl coordination mode observed in 3 is retained, as evidenced by X-ray diffraction (∠PdNO ∼ 120°), IR spectroscopy and analysis of isotopically enriched samples by 15N NMR spectroscopy. Effective oxidation states of Pd0/NO+ are calculated for 1–3 and nitrosyl coordination is principally attributed to metal-centred σ-bonding, with supplementary π-backbonding. Computational analysis, however, indicates that the Pd−NO bonds in 1 and 2 have greater PdI/NO• character and σ-bonding is more prominent than in 3. These differences in bonding are manifested experimentally in more red-shifted nitrosyl stretching frequencies and the propensity of 1 and 2 to react with dichloromethane to afford palladium(II) chloride derivatives.

We report on the preparation, crystal structure and spectral properties of the novel trimethylsulfonium tin tribromide, [(CH3)3S]SnBr3. The compound was synthesized by the solid-state reaction of (CH3)3SBr and SnBr2 in evacuated pyrex tubes at 150 °C. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD) studies at −173.15 °C show that it forms a 0D network of isolated pyramids of [SnBr3]− and (CH3)3S+ units in an orthorhombic structure (space group P212121, No. 19, a = 9.4508(8) Å, b = 14.1691(12) Å, c = 15.4409(14) Å)). Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and Le bail profile fit analysis reveals that [(CH3)3S]SnBr3 adopts at room temperature a different crystal structure with space group (Pmmm, No. 47). Moreover, the oxidation of the compound occurs gradually in ambient air, towards the formation of [(CH3)3S)]2SnBr6 (space group Pa-3, No. 205). Multi-temperature Raman spectroscopy reveals that a fully reversible structural phase transition occurs for [(CH3)3S]SnBr3 between −36 and −56 °C, as evidenced by the changes in the vibrational modes of the [SnBr3]− ions. A direct band gap of 3.38 eV at RT is determined via UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Photoluminescence spectroscopy at −196.15 °C and 25 °C shows a weak luminescence signal with an emission maximum at ca. 460 nm for both temperatures.

Integrating plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs) into semiconductor metal oxides and structuring them as photonic crystals have been two effective strategies to develop robust photo(electro)catalysts with improved light harvesting and suppressed electron–hole recombination. In this work{,} Au-decorated WO3 inverse opal photoanodes were engineered to synergistically exploit plasmonic{,} photonic{,} and charge transfer effects for enhanced photoelectrochemical water splitting and the degradation of pharmaceutical pollutants. The WO3 inverse opal scaffolds{,} fabricated via colloidal co-assembly{,} functioned as visible light photonic crystals{,} enabling slow photon effects by aligning their photonic band gap with the absorption edge of WO3 and the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of Au NPs. Au NPs of varying sizes (5–80 nm) were incorporated post-synthetically to tailor plasmonic behavior and band alignment at the Au–WO3 metal–semiconductor heterojunction. Photoelectrochemical measurements revealed optimal photocurrent generation for 20 nm Au NPs{,} driven by near-field enhancement and improved carrier generation{,} while 5 nm Au NPs exhibited the highest photoelectrocatalytic activity in ibuprofen degradation{,} facilitated by a favorable Fermi level shift and efficient interfacial electron transfer. This work highlights the importance of size-engineered plasmonic particles integrated into photonic crystal frameworks for the rational design of multifunctional photoelectrodes in solar energy conversion and environmental remediation.

Existing research has shown that emotional intelligence (EI) and teacher self-efficacy (TSE) play an important role in the work of in-service teachers. However, there is limited research on these variables and their associations among pre-service teachers. Also, the cultural context is expected to influence EI and TSE. Therefore, this study examined the associations between EI and TSE in two cultures, Finland and Greece. A comprehensive evaluation of EI was done by including both trait EI and ability EI measures. Data from primary education student teachers from Finland (N = 82) and Greece (N = 117) were collected online. The measures of EI and TSE exhibited full configural and metric measurement invariance and partial scalar and residual/strict measurement invariance across cultures. Finnish students had significantly higher scores on all EI variables than Greek students, whereas Greek students scored higher on self-efficacy for student engagement. Structural equation modelling showed that trait EI was moderately associated with one facet of ability EI, namely emotional management, but not with emotional understanding, implying that trait EI and ability EI can be considered as partially distinct constructs. A statistically significant positive association between trait EI and TSE was found in Finland, whereas a statistically significant negative association between ability EI and TSE was found in Greece. The findings have important implications for the models of trait and ability EI, for understanding the links between trait and ability EI and TSE during the critical phase of teacher education in the two cultural contexts studied, and for culturally informed teacher education.

Thuwalamides A–E (1, 3, 5, 6 and 8), previously undescribed polychlorinated amides, along with ten previously reported related compounds (2, 4, 7 and 9–15), were isolated from the organic extract of the marine sponge Lamellodysidea herbacea (Keller), collected off the village of Thuwal in the Red Sea at Saudi Arabia. The structures of the isolated compounds have been determined through extensive analysis of their NMR and MS data, while their absolute stereochemistry was unequivocally established via single crystal X-ray diffraction. Additionally, the absolute stereochemistry of the previously reported compounds 2 and 4, whose configuration was not determined, has also been established using single-crystal X-ray crystallographic analysis. The antibacterial activity of compounds 1–15 was evaluated against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Among them, compound 14 displayed activity against S. aureus comparable to vancomycin that was used as a positive control with a MIC value of 4 μg/mL.

Topological rainbow trapping (TRT) arises from the interplay between topological states and frequency-dependent slow-wave effects. Waves first slow down, then become spatially separated by frequency and are ultimately trapped at distinct locations. TRT designs have been primarily explored in the context of photonic crystals and subsequently extended to acoustic and elastic systems. This emerging TRT concept enables robust, frequency-selective localization beyond conventional rainbow trapping, supporting compact, multi-wavelength, topologically protected platforms for extreme wave manipulation. In this Review, we elucidate the fundamental principles of TRT, emphasizing the physical mechanisms that create near-zero group velocity points with robust frequency-dependent localization. We highlight three key TRT mechanisms: graded index profiles, which gradually vary material parameters to reshape dispersion and induce slow-wave effects; higher-order topological corner modes, which exploit localized corner states for robust frequency-specific wave confinement; and synthetic dimensions, which expand the parameter space of the system to engineer stable interface states at distinct frequencies. Furthermore, we address key challenges in TRT, such as energy dissipation and tunability, while highlighting its broad range of potential applications. Finally, we discuss emerging research directions for TRT.

Mitochondrial dysfunction and impaired mitophagy are hallmarks of ageing and age-related pathologies. Disrupted inter-organellar communication among mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and lysosomes, further contributes to cellular dysfunction. While mitophagy has emerged as a promising target for neuroprotection and geroprotection, its potential to restore age-associated defects in organellar crosstalk remains unclear. Here, we show that mitophagy deficiency deregulates the morphology and homeostasis of mitochondria, ER and lysosomes, mirroring age-related alterations. In contrast, Urolithin A (UA), a gut-derived metabolite and potent mitophagy inducer, restores inter-organellar communication via calcium signaling, thereby, promoting mitophagy, healthspan and longevity. Our multi-omic analysis reveals that UA reorganizes ER, mitochondrial and lysosomal networks, linking inter-organellar dynamics to mitochondrial quality control. In Caenorhabditis elegans, UA induces calcium release from the ER, enhances lysosomal activity, and drives DRP-1/DNM1L/DRP1-mediated mitochondrial fission, culminating in efficient mitophagy. Calcium chelation abolishes UA-induced mitophagy, blocking its beneficial impact on muscle function and lifespan, underscoring the critical role of calcium signaling in UA's geroprotective effects. Furthermore, UA-induced calcium elevation activates mitochondrial biogenesis via UNC-43/CAMK2D and SKN-1/NFE2L2/Nrf2 pathways, which are both essential for healthspan and lifespan extension. Similarly, in mammalian cells, UA increases intracellular calcium, enhances mitophagy and mitochondrial metabolism, and mitigates stress-induced senescence in a calcium-dependent manner. Our findings uncover a conserved mechanism by which UA-induced mitophagy restores inter-organellar communication, supporting cellular homeostasis and organismal health.Abbreviations: Ca(2+): calcium ions; BJ: human foreskin fibroblasts; BNIP3: BCL2 interacting protein 3; BP: bipyridyl; CAMK2D: calcium/calmodulin dependent protein kinase II delta; CCCP: carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl hydrazone; DEGs: differentially expressed genes; DEPs : differentially expressed peptides; DFP: deferiprone; DNM1L/DRP1: dynamin 1 like; EGTA: ethylene glycol bis(2-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid; EMC: endoplasmic reticulum membrane protein complex; ER: endoplasmic reticulum; FCCP: carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoro-methoxyphenyl hydrazone; GO: gene ontology; GSVA: Gene Set Variation Analysis; HUVECs: human umbilical vein endothelial cells; IMM: inner mitochondrial membrane; ITPR/InsP3R: inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptor; MAM: mitochondria-associated ER membrane; MAPK: mitogen-activated protein kinase; MCU: mitochondrial calcium uniporter; MEFs: mouse embryonic fibroblasts; NAC : N-acetylcysteine; NFE2L2/Nrf2: NFE2 like bZIP transcription factor 2; NMN: nicotinamide mononucleotide; NR: nicotinamide riboside; OMM: outer mitochondrial membrane; PCA: principal-component analysis; PPARGC1A/PGC1α: PPARG coactivator 1 alpha; PQ: paraquat; TMCO: transmembrane and coiled-coil domains 1; TMRE: tetramethylrhodamine ethyl ester perchlorate; UA: urolithin A; VDAC: voltage dependent anion channel.

Wine matrix is composed of a vast number of compounds that depend on a wide range of factors associated with the raw material, such as grape variety and vineyard location, and processing, such as the winemaking protocol and barrel ageing. Monitoring all aspects of winemaking from grape to wine is a technically challenging task, as different key compounds are related to each step, requiring different analytical methods for their estimation. Nowadays, efforts are made to avoid the use of chemical reagents that can be harmful to the environment and lower the energy consumption during chemical analyses. Ideally, analyses should be performed using a single instrument, without the need for solvents or lengthy preparatory steps. In the past few years, due to its cost-effectiveness and the speediness of the analyses while using low sample volumes, IR spectroscopy has been effectively applied in grape and wine analyses, from compound identification and quantification to wine profile characterisation and authentication. One of its most advantageous features is that it can produce a spectral fingerprint that is unique to each sample, making it highly efficient, especially for authentication purposes. This review examines the feasibility of employing IR spectroscopy for the assessment of all steps required in winemaking, from grape to wine, and its ability to produce integrated results.

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a benchmark photocatalyst for environmental applications, but its limited visible-light activity due to a wide band gap and fast charge recombination restricts its practical efficiency. This study presents the development of heterostructured Ag (Au)/MoS2-TiO2 inverse opal (IO) films that synergistically integrate photonic, plasmonic, and semiconducting functionalities to overcome these limitations. The materials were synthesized via a one-step evaporation-induced co-assembly approach, embedding MoS2 nanosheets and plasmonic nanoparticles (Ag or Au) within a nanocrystalline TiO2 photonic framework. The inverse opal architecture enhances light harvesting through slow-photon effects, while MoS2 and plasmonic nanoparticles improve visible-light absorption and charge separation. By tuning the template sphere size, the photonic band gap was aligned with the TiO2-MoS2 absorption edge and the localized surface plasmon resonance of Ag, enabling optimal spectral overlap. The corresponding Ag/MoS2-TiO2 photonic films exhibited superior photocatalytic and photoelectrocatalytic degradation of tetracycline under visible light. Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy and Mott–Schottky analysis confirmed favorable band alignment and Fermi level shifts that facilitate interfacial charge transfer. These results highlight the potential of integrated photonic–plasmonic-semiconductor architectures for efficient solar-driven water treatment.

En las últimas décadas se han desarrollado numerosas herramientas digitales, algunas de las cuales se han orientado a la investigación lingüística. Este estudio presenta tres herramientas informáticas: Dispografo, Gephi y Lexpro, utilizadas para el apoyo del análisis psicolingüístico del léxico disponible. Estas herramientas representan asociaciones léxicas en el lexicón mental mediante la teoría de grafos, a las cuales tenemos acceso a través de la prueba de disponibilidad léxica. Se profundiza en los conceptos de disponibilidad léxica, red semántica y grafos léxicos, fundamentales para el análisis y visualización de relaciones léxicas. Además, se examina la función de estas herramientas y se muestran ejemplos de grafos generados en diversos estudios con Dispografo, Gephi y Lexpro. Los análisis revelan que estas herramientas permiten visualizar las complejas relaciones léxicas del lexicón mental y facilitan un análisis profundo, contribuyendo a una mejor comprensión de dichas relaciones. Su uso demuestra ser valioso para el estudio de la estructura y organización del léxico. Finalmente, se exploran las aplicaciones pedagógicas de los grafos léxicos en la enseñanza de lenguas extranjeras y sus posibles desarrollos futuros a través de inteligencia artificial y procesamiento del lenguaje natural.

Abstract An isotype heterojunction n+-ZnO/n-Si photodetector is developed, showing adjustable wavelength-selective operation at self-powered conditions. Without an external bias voltage, the device can operate either as a broadband UV–vis–NIR or as a NIR-only photodetector, depending on the relative carrier concentrations of ZnO and silicon. In addition, the photodetector can be tuned to either broadband or NIR operation by the application of an external bias voltage, regardless of carrier concentrations. At negative bias, it demonstrates UV–vis–NIR photodetection, while at positive bias, NIR photodetection. Photovoltage and photocurrent measurements for pulsed illumination reveal a high-speed self-powered response, with rise and fall times <100 µs across the UV–vis–NIR. The device can be engineered to reproduce undistorted pulsed light with frequencies as high as 1 kHz. Self-powered responsivity reaches ≈70 mA W−1, which becomes ≈4 A W−1 with an applied external bias.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common supraventricular arrhythmia and is associated with an impaired prognosis. Studies using implantable cardiac monitors suggest that this association is closely linked to AF burden, defined as the percentage of time spent in AF. Consequently, there is a growing need for affordable and comfortable alternative devices, such as wearables, capable of reliably monitoring AF burden in patients with AF. METHODS: Major electronic databases were searched for studies comparing AF burden quantification using wearables and reference ECG monitoring methods. A Bayesian approach was adopted for the final analysis. RESULTS: Six studies, including a total of 448 patients and 36,978 h of valid simultaneous recordings, were analyzed. Bayesian analysis revealed no statistically significant differences between wearables and reference methods in AF burden quantification. The mean error was 1% (95% CrIs: -4% to 7%). Similar findings were observed in the subgroup analysis of studies assessing only smartwatches. Between-study heterogeneity was low, and no evidence of publication bias was detected. CONCLUSION: Our analysis suggests that AF burden quantification using wearables is comparable to reference ECG monitoring methods. These findings support the potential role of wearables in clinical practice, particularly for research and prognostic purposes. However, more studies are needed to determine whether the observed statistical equivalence translates to clinical significance, thereby supporting the widespread use of wearables in the assessment of rhythm control therapeutic strategies.

This study presents and evaluates interpretations of 2 Thess 2:3-12 from a critical-Orthodox perspective in the Greek commentaries of Severian of Gabala, John Chrysostom, Theodoret of Cyrus, John of Damascus (dubium), and Theophylact of Ohrid. The patristic comments elaborate on the nature, actions, and unique connection between the Antichrist and the devil, as well as the significance of “the restrainer”, which prevents the Antichrist’s arrival. The commentaries also thoroughly discuss the concept of the “mystery of lawlessness”, the responsibility and condemnation of those who will believe in the Antichrist, and his ultimate defeat by the Lord Jesus Christ at his second coming. In conclusion, the study finds that the patristic commentators, by extensively referring to the Antichrist, essentially describe the nature of evil – personified by the figure of the Antichrist – and the way to address it. According to this conclusion, evil primarily consists in human self-deification and simultaneous estrangement from communion with God. Evil must be overcome with good; thus, through faith in God, abstaining from all forms of aggression, and practicing love for one’s fellow human beings.

In this letter, we demonstrate that a set of absorbing boundary conditions (ABCs) for numerical simulations of waves, proposed originally by Engquist and Majda and later generalized by Trefethen and Halpern, can alternatively be derived with the use of Pauli matrices algebra. Hence a novel approach to the derivation of one-way wave equations in electromagnetics is proposed. That is, the classical wave equation can be factorized into two two-dimensional wave equations with first-order time derivatives. Then, using suitable approximations, not only Engquist and Majda ABCs can be obtained, but also generalized ABCs proposed by Trefethen and Halpern, which are applicable to simulations of radiation problems.

BACKGROUND: Timely and safe elective health care facilitates return to normal activities for patients and prevents emergency admissions. Surgery is a cornerstone of elective care and relies on complex pathways. This study aimed to take a whole-system approach to evaluating access to and quality of elective health care globally, using inguinal hernia as a tracer condition. METHODS: This was a prospective, international, cohort study conducted between Jan 30 and May 21, 2023, in which any hospital performing inguinal hernia repairs was eligible to take part. Consecutive patients of any age undergoing primary inguinal hernia repair were included. A measurement set mapped to the attributes of WHO's Health System Building Blocks was defined to evaluate access (emergency surgery rates, bowel resection rates, and waiting times) and quality (mesh use, day-case rates, and postoperative complications). These were compared across World Bank income groups (high-income, upper-middle-income, lower-middle-income, and low-income countries), adjusted for hospital and country. Factors associated with postoperative complications were explored with a three-level multilevel logistic regression model. FINDINGS: 18 058 patients from 640 hospitals in 83 countries were included, of whom 1287 (7·1%) underwent emergency surgery. Emergency surgery rates increased from high-income to low-income countries (6·8%, 9·7%, 11·4%, 14·2%), accompanied by an increase in bowel resection rates (1·2%, 1·4%, 2·3%, 4·2%). Overall waiting times for elective surgery were similar around the world (median 8·0 months from symptoms to surgery), largely because of delays between symptom onset and diagnosis rather than waiting for treatment. In 14 768 elective operations in adults, mesh use decreased from high-income to low-income countries (97·6%, 94·3%, 80·6%, 61·0%). In patients eligible for day-case surgery (n=12 658), day-case rates were low and variable (50·0%, 38·0%, 42·1%, 44·5%). Complications occurred in 2415 (13·4%) of 18 018 patients and were more common after emergency surgery (adjusted odds ratio 2·06, 95% CI 1·72-2·46) and bowel resection (1·85, 1·31-2·63), and less common after day-case surgery (0·39, 0·34-0·44). INTERPRETATION: This study demonstrates that elective health care is essential to preventing over-reliance on emergency systems. We identified actionable targets for system strengthening: clear referral pathways and increasing mesh repair in lower-income settings, and boosting day-case surgery in all income settings. These measures might strengthen non-surgical pathways too, reducing the burden on society and health services. FUNDING: NIHR Global Health Research Unit on Global Surgery and Portuguese Hernia and Abdominal Wall Society (Sociedade Portuguesa de Hernia e Parede Abdominal).

This research focuses on sustainable consumption and production (SCP) to balance economic growth with ecological preservation. It assesses Greek consumers' attitudes, satisfaction, and knowledge about green products through questionnaires, analyzing the interplay of these factors in consumer satisfaction and highlighting the role of awareness in the green market. The study also compares these findings with Romanian consumer behavior to understand cultural and socioeconomic influences. Results show that positive attitudes towards green products and access to information significantly enhance consumer satisfaction, a trend consistent across different cultures. However, a lack of sustainability knowledge among youth presents an educational opportunity. The study advocates for strategic educational efforts to support SCP, emphasizing the need for well-informed product design, fair pricing, and clear communication to promote sustainable consumer habits, contributing to the broader SCP discourse and guiding future sustainable economy policies.

The present study delves into the structure and lexical organization of L1 and L2 mental lexicons. Indirect access to the mental lexicon is provided by semantic fluency tasks, which inform researchers about how the words are organized in the mental lexicon and retrieved when necessary. Here, two groups of participants were asked to retrieve as many words of the category fruits and vegetables as possible in two minutes. The first group is made up of native speakers of Spanish who responded in Spanish L1, whereas the second group is made up of native speakers of Greek who are learning Spanish foreign language (SFL) who responded first in Spanish FL and later in Greek L1. The three sets of responses were scrutinized and compared for similarities and differences. Results point to a retrieval mechanism based on L1-mediated access for SFL learners and slightly different structures of the mental lexicon. Even in very advanced learners, lexical organization and word retrieval in the FL resembles L1 organization.

The main purpose of this study is the subsurface investigation of two complex geological environments focusing on the improvement of data acquisition and processing parameters regarding electric and seismic tomographic techniques. Two different study areas, in central–east Peloponnese and SE Attica, were selected, where detailed geological mapping and surface geophysical survey were carried out. The applied geophysical survey included the application of electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), seismic refraction tomography (SRT) and ground penetrating radar (GPR). The geoelectrical measurements were acquired with different arrays and electrode configurations. Moreover, various types of seismic sources were used at seventeen shot locations along the seismic arrays. For the processing of geoelectrical data, clustered datasets were created, increasing the depth of investigation and discriminatory capability. The seismic data processing included the following: (a) the creation of synthetic models and seismic records to determine the effectiveness and capabilities of the technique, (b) spectral analysis of the seismic records to determine the optimal seismic source type and (c) inversion of the field data to create representative subsurface velocity models. The results of the two techniques successfully delineated the complex subsurface structure that characterizes these two geological environments. The application of the ERT combined with the SRT are the two dominant, high-resolution techniques for the elucidation of complex subsurface structures.

Context. Jets from supermassive black holes at the centers of active galaxies are the most powerful and persistent sources of electromagnetic radiation in the Universe. To infer the physical conditions in the otherwise out-of-reach regions of extragalactic jets, we usually rely on fitting their spectral energy distributions (SEDs). The calculation of radiative models for the jet's non-thermal emission usually relies on numerical solvers of coupled partial differential equations. Aims: In this work, we use machine learning to tackle the problem of high computational complexity to significantly reduce the SED model evaluation time, which is necessary for SED fittings carried out with Bayesian inference methods. Methods: We computed the SEDs based on the synchrotron self-Compton model for blazar emission using the radiation code ATHEvA. We used them to train neural networks (NNs) to explore whether they can replace the original code, which is computationally expensive. Results: We find that a NN with gated recurrent unit neurons (GRUN) can effectively replace the ATHEvA leptonic code for this application, while it can be efficiently coupled with Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) and nested sampling algorithms for fitting purposes. We demonstrate this approach through an application to simulated data sets, as well as a subsequent application to observational data. Conclusions: We present a proof-of-concept application of NNs to blazar science as the first step in a list of future applications involving hadronic processes and even larger parameter spaces. We offer this tool to the community through a public repository. The results of our work are available in GitHub; https://github.com/tzavellas/blazar_ml. This includes: (a) the NN and accompanied code produced to train them, (b) code for visualization of results in python and jupyter notebooks with instructions, and (c) part of the ATHEvA datasets that can be used for evaluation and plotting examples.

In Southeastern Europe, archaeology extends beyond its traditional role as a scientific discipline, assuming a unique function as a medium for shaping alternative knowledge systems. This article explores the complex relationship between archaeology and the crafting of ancestral narratives in the region, illuminating how archaeological interpretations are employed to invent and sustain cultural identities. By analysing a range of archaeological case studies across the Balkans, this study investigates how archaeological evidence is appropriated and reshaped to advance ideological agendas, frequently diverging from established academic consensus. It contends that in Southeastern Europe, archaeology functions as a powerful instrument for legitimising territorial claims and cultural dominance, promoting narratives of continuity and primordial origins that deeply resonate within the collective psyche. Through the selective amplification of certain aspects of the past while marginalising others, archaeological discourse facilitates the construction of mythologised origin stories that reinforce nationalist ideologies and perpetuate historical tensions.

Ocean observing systems in coastal, shelf and marginal seas collect diverse oceanographic information supporting a wide range of socioeconomic needs, but observations are necessarily sparse in space and/or time due to practical limitations. Ocean analysis and forecast systems capitalize on such observations, producing data-constrained, four-dimensional oceanographic fields. Here we review efforts to quantify the impact of ocean observations, observing platforms, and networks of platforms on model products of the physical ocean state in coastal regions. Quantitative assessment must consider a variety of issues including observation operators that sample models, error of representativeness, and correlated uncertainty in observations. Observing System Experiments, Observing System Simulation Experiments, representer functions and array modes, observation impacts, and algorithms based on artificial intelligence all offer methods to evaluate data-based model performance improvements according to metrics that characterize oceanographic features of local interest. Applications from globally distributed coastal ocean modeling systems document broad adoption of quantitative methods, generally meaningful reductions in model-data discrepancies from observation assimilation, and support for assimilation of complementary data sets, including subsurface in situ observation platforms, across diverse coastal environments.

Preserving mitochondrial homeostasis is vital, particularly for the energetically demanding and metabolically active nerve cells. Mitophagy, the selective autophagic removal of mitochondria, stands out as a prominent mechanism for efficient mitochondrial turnover, which is crucial for proper neuronal development and function. Dysfunctional mitochondria and disrupted mitophagy pathways have been linked to a diverse array of neurological disorders. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, with its well-defined nervous system, serves as an excellent model to unravel the intricate involvement of mitophagy in developing neurons. This chapter describes the use of Rosella biosensor in C. elegans to monitor neuronal mitophagy, providing a user-friendly platform for screening genes and drugs affecting mitophagic pathways under physiological conditions or in the context of neurodevelopmental pathologies.

This paper focuses on the archaeological sub-field of archaeogenetics, and the ways it may be deployed in current political discourse in order to substantiate nationalist claims of heredity as a blood-based relationship. Two case studies are discussed in order to show how, in modern Greece but also elsewhere, antique skeletal remains are seen as national relics as well as cultural icons. This generates a politically charged sort of “DNA archaeology,” only partially involving the ideas or actions of archaeology professionals but strongly affecting public receptions of, and responses to, the past. And this is because archaeogenetic discourse and its results – factual, exaggerated, or plainly fabricated – may be deployed by different stakeholders within contemporary societies in order to mobilize certain parts of the population or exclude others to the point of elimination, by means of their symbolic or even biological death.

Data augmentation is a promising technique in improving exploration and convergence speed in deep reinforcement learning methodologies. In this work, we propose a data augmentation framework based on generative models for creating completely novel states and increasing diversity. For this purpose, a diffusion model is used to generate artificial states (learning the distribution of original, collected states), while an additional model is trained to predict the action executed between two consecutive states. These models are combined to create synthetic data for cases of high and low immediate rewards, which are encountered less frequently during the agent’s interaction with the environment. During the training process, the synthetic samples are mixed with the actually observed data in order to speed up agent learning. The proposed methodology is tested on the Atari 2600 framework, producing realistic and diverse synthetic data which improve training in most cases. Specifically, the agent is evaluated on three heterogeneous games, achieving a reward increase of up to 31%, although the results indicate performance variance among the different environments. The augmentation models are independent of the learning process and can be integrated to different algorithms, as well as different environments, with slight adaptations.

Bladder cancer (BlCa) is an extensively heterogeneous disease that leads to great variability in tumor evolution scenarios and lifelong patient surveillance, emphasizing the need for modern, minimally invasive precision medicine. Here, we explored the clinical significance of copy number alterations (CNAs) in BlCa. CNA profiling was performed in 15 patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) and validated in The Cancer Genome Atlas BlCa (TCGA-BLCA; n = 408) and Lindgren et al. (n = 143) cohorts. CDKN2A copy number loss was identified as the most frequent CNA in bladder tumors, associated with reduced CDKN2A expression, tumors of a papillary phenotype, and prolonged PDX survival. The study's screening cohort consisted of 243 BlCa patients, and CDKN2A copy number was assessed in genomic DNA and cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from 217 tumors and 189 pre-treatment serum samples, respectively. CDKN2A copy number loss was correlated with superior disease-free and progression-free survival of non-muscle-invasive BlCa (NMIBC) patients. Moreover, a higher CDKN2A index (CDKN2A/LEP ratio) in pre-treatment cfDNA was associated with advanced tumor stage and grade and short-term NMIBC progression to invasive disease, while multivariate models fitted for CDKN2A index in pre-treatment cfDNA offered superior risk stratification of T1/high-grade and EORTC high-risk patients, enhancing prediction of treatment outcome. CDKN2A copy number status could serve as a minimally invasive tool to improve risk stratification and support personalized prognosis in BlCa.

Central precocious puberty (CPP) is a condition where the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis is activated earlier than normal, leading to premature development of secondary sexual characteristics before eight years of age in girls and nine years of age in boys. The purpose of this study was to critically and systematically evaluate the literature regarding CPP rise during the COVID-19 pandemic. We searched PubMed and Google Scholar for relevant articles using the following MeSH terms: "COVID-19, "precocious puberty," "early puberty," "pediatric endocrinology," and "pandemic effects." We included studies calculating the risk of CPP before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. We excluded studies looking at patients with an identifiable cause for CPP or with peripheral precocious puberty. The primary outcome was the prevalence of central precocious puberty during the pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic period. We analyzed data regarding anthropometric, biochemical, and pelvic ultrasound data between the two groups. Overall, 16 studies with 2.175 subjects were included, of which 1.818 were diagnosed with CPP. There was a rise in the number of new diagnoses of CPP during the COVID-19 pandemic (985 subjects) compared with the pre-pandemic period (833 subjects). The mean age of diagnosis in the first group was 7.42 years versus 7.54 years in the second group. Notably, CPP during the pandemic was associated with a higher body mass index (BMI) compared with the group of the pre-pandemic period (17.50 versus 17.08). The pandemic and lockdowns led to changes in lifestyle habits, social isolation, sleep disturbance, excess screen time, and increased stress levels. We hypothesize that these alterations influenced the increase in CPP frequency.

Through this study, the synergistic behavior of small-molecular-weight, amphiphilic surfactant molecules and the triblock copolymer Pluronic 188 was extensively evaluated based on their ability to formulate nanocarriers with novel properties for the delivery of class II and IV (biopharmaceutical classification system) chemotherapeutic compounds. The combination of four different surfactants at multiple weight ratios and twelve initially formulated nanosystems resulted in four hybrid delivery platforms, which were further studied in terms of multiple physicochemical characteristics, as well as their stability in protein-rich media (fetal bovine serum/phosphate-buffer saline). Finally, we obtained a single final nanoformulation that exhibited a high loading capacity (%EE ≥ 75%) and a sustained drug release profile under physiological conditions (model drug methotrexate), without altering the original physicochemical characteristics of the carrier. With a mean hydrodynamic radius (Rh) of less than 70 nm, a polydispersity index of 0.219, and no protein complexation, the system is a suitable candidate for in vivo, intravenous, and/or intramuscular administration. The cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of both loaded and unloaded carriers were evaluated through the examination of the upregulation or downregulation of apoptosis-related pathways. Multiple conventional 2D and 3D spheroidal conformations were used for these assessments, including HEK293, HCT-116, and MCF-7 cell lines, the results of which stressed the safety and biocompatibility of the empty nanocarrier. Additionally, experiments on Caenorhabditis elegans were conducted to evaluate the system's in vivo toxicity, focusing on developmental stages, egg-laying behavior, and locomotion. Nanosystems studied in terms of chemotherapeutic encapsulation have mostly focused on the physiochemical aspect of the development of such novel delivery platforms, with only few exceptions proceeding step-by-step from cellular 2D to 3D to in vivo experimentation. The present study offers a holistic view of the behavior of such a novel system, advancing our understanding of the capabilities of polymeric/surfactant-based nanodelivery platforms.

The "twin birth" of a positron and an electron by a photon in the presence of a nucleus, known as Bethe-Heitler pair production, is a key process in astroparticle physics. The Bethe-Heitler process offers a way of channeling energy stored in a population of relativistic protons (or nuclei) to relativistic pairs with extended distributions. Contrary to accelerated leptons, whose maximum energy is limited by radiative losses, the maximal energy of pairs is determined by the kinematics of the process and can be as high as the parent proton energy. We take a closer look at the features of the injected pair distribution, and provide a novel empirical function that describes the spectrum of pairs produced by interactions of single-energy protons with single-energy photons. The function is the kernel of the Bethe-Heitler pair production spectrum that replaces a double numerical integration involving the complex differential cross section of the process, and can be easily implemented in numerical codes. We further examine under which conditions Bethe-Heitler pairs produced in blazar jets can emit γ-ray photons via synchrotron radiation, thus providing an alternative to the inverse Compton scattering process for high-energy emission in jetted active galactic nuclei. For this purpose, we create 36 numerical models using the code ATHEνA optimized so that the Bethe-Heitler synchrotron emission dominates their γ-ray emission. After taking into consideration the broadband spectral characteristics of the source, the jet energetics, and the properties of radiation fields present in the blazar environment, we conclude that γ-rays in high-synchrotron-peaked blazars are unlikely to be produced by Bethe-Heitler pairs, because the emitting region is found to be opaque in photon-photon pair production at photon energies ≳ 10 GeV. On the contrary, γ-ray spectra of low-synchrotron-peaked blazars may arise from Bethe-Heitler pairs in regions of the jet with typical transverse size ∼ 1015 – 1016 cm and co-moving magnetic field 50 – 500 G. For such cases, an external thermal target photon field with temperatures T ∼ 4 · 102– 6 · 103 K is needed. The latter values could point to the dusty torus of the AGN. Interestingly, a Bethe-Heitler-dominated high-energy component is mostly found in models of intermediate-synchrotron peaked blazars, for a wide range of magnetic fields and source radii.

OBJECTIVES: An increasing number of women living with HIV are transitioning through midlife and menopause. Women living with HIV may experience earlier menopause and a higher symptom burden than women without HIV, but more evidence is needed. Data collection on menopause in women living with HIV is scarce and often not standardized. We sought to assess how menopause data are collected in cohorts and studies of women living with HIV. METHODS: This was a literature review conducted within the PubMed database. We included original studies and cohorts assessing menopause and/or menopausal symptoms in women living with HIV. Study characteristics and menopause data collection, including the definition of menopause, symptom assessment tools, and measurement of biomedical parameters, were noted and summarized systematically in data tables. RESULTS: We included 40 articles describing 37 separate studies published between 2000 and 2023; 27 of these were conducted in high-income countries, the majority in the USA (n = 16). Ten studies were from low- and middle-income countries; four of these were conducted in Brazil. In 20 studies, menopause was defined according to the World Health Organization's definition of over 12 months of amenorrhea. Twelve studies used the Menopause Rating Scale to characterize menopausal symptoms, five studies used other specified symptom assessment tools, and 12 studies used a study-specific tool. CONCLUSIONS: Menopause data collection in women living with HIV is heterogeneous. We propose that standardized tools should be used to enable comparisons between studies and countries, thereby improving the quality of research and clinical treatment. Further research into the validity of menopausal symptom scoring tools is warranted.

A combination of the results of several searches for the electroweak production of the supersymmetric partners of standard model bosons, and of charged leptons, is presented. All searches use proton-proton collision data at √s = 13 TeV recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC in 2016-2018. The analyzed data correspond to an integrated luminosity of up to 137/fb. The results are interpreted in terms of simplified models of supersymmetry. Two new interpretations are added with this combination: a model spectrum with the bino as the lightest supersymmetric particle together with mass-degenerate higgsinos decaying to the bino and a standard model boson, and the compressed-spectrum region of a previously studied model of slepton pair production. Improved analysis techniques are employed to optimize sensitivity for the compressed spectra in the wino and slepton pair production models. The results are consistent with expectations from the standard model. The combination provides a more comprehensive coverage of the model parameter space than the individual searches, extending the exclusion by up to 125 GeV, and also targets some of the intermediate gaps in the mass coverage.

Although there is extensive research on the adulthood criteria endorsed by emerging adults, there is very limited evidence on the comparison between emerging adults and their parents regarding this issue. Moreover, in these comparison studies, only quantitative methodology was used. Therefore, the present study uses a mixed-method design to investigate similarities and differences in the prevalence of the endorsed adulthood criteria between emerging adults and their parents, between male and female emerging adults, and between fathers and mothers. Participants were 251 emerging adult students, aged 18.0 to 25.9 (M = 19.9; 50.2% females), and 341 parents of these emerging adults, aged 33.6 to 61.9 (M = 50.4; 58.4% mothers). They completed the Markers of Adulthood Scale and named the three criteria that they considered most important for a person to be considered an adult. An inductive-deductive coding scheme was used. The analyses exhibited a high consensus between emerging adults and their parents in the endorsement of adulthood criteria. Only criteria related to Independence and to the Self were reported more frequently by emerging adults than their parents. A strong agreement between genders in both age groups was also found. The contribution of this study is twofold. First, it supports the idea that in Greece adulthood is a construct that is largely shared by emerging adults and their parents. Second, it illustrates how a mixed-method design can complement quantitative studies and extend their findings.

Survivin belongs to a family of proteins that promote cellular proliferation and inhibit cellular apoptosis. Its overexpression in various cancer types has led to its recognition as an important marker for cancer diagnosis and treatment. In this work, we compare two approaches for the immunochemical detection of survivin through surface-enhanced fluorescence or Raman spectroscopy using surfaces with nanowires decorated with silver nanoparticles in the form of dendrites or aggregates as immunoassays substrates. In both substrates, a two-step non-competitive immunoassay was developed using a pair of specific monoclonal antibodies, one for detection and the other for capture. The detection antibody was biotinylated and combined with streptavidin labeled with rhodamine for the detection of surface-enhanced fluorescence, while, for the detection via Raman spectroscopy, streptavidin labeled with peroxidase was used and the signal was obtained after the application of 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) precipitating substrate. It was found that the substrate with the silver dendrites provided higher fluorescence signal intensity compared to the substrate with the silver aggregates, while the opposite was observed for the Raman signal. Thus, the best substrate was used for each detection method. A detection limit of 12.5 pg/mL was achieved with both detection approaches along with a linear dynamic range up to 500 pg/mL, enabling survivin determination in human serum samples from both healthy and ovarian cancer patients for cancer diagnosis and monitoring purposes.

The contribution of surface and lateral forcing to the observed Arabian Gulf warming trends is studied based on the results of a high-resolution (1/100°, 60 vertical layers) MIT general circulation model (MITgcm) covering the period 1993-2021. The model validation against available observations reveals that the simulation satisfactorily reproduces the main features of the Arabian Gulf's dynamics and their variability. We show that the heat content of the Arabian Gulf generally follows the reported variability of sea surface temperature, with significant increasing trends of 0.1 × 10 7 J m −3 and 0.2°C per decade. The interannual variability of the heat content is dominated by the surface heat fluxes, while the long-term warming of the basin is primarily driven by lateral fluxes. The analyses of the heat exchanges through the Strait of Hormuz indicate a pronounced upward trend in the transported heat toward the Arabian Gulf, which is associated with an increase in both the volume and temperature of the exchanged waters. Considering the inflow and outflow in the Strait separately, the temperature increase is more prominent in the inflowing waters; however, the dominant factor driving the rising trend in heat content exchanges is the increase in the volume of waters being exchanged. This implies that the observed warming of the Arabian Gulf during the investigated period is directly related to the acceleration of its overturning circulation.

The synthesis of thiazolines, thiazolidines, and thiazolidinones has been extensively studied, due to their biological activity related to neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, as well as their antiparasitic and antihypertensive properties. The closely related thiazolidin-2-imines have been studied less, and efficient strategies for synthesizing them, mainly based on the reaction of propargylamines with isothiocyanates, have been explored less. The use of one-pot approaches, providing modular, straightforward, and sustainable access to these compounds, has also received very little attention. Herein, we report a novel, one-pot, multicomponent, copper-catalyzed reaction among primary amines, ketones, terminal alkynes, and isothiocyanates, toward thiazolidin-2-imines bearing quaternary carbon centers on the five-membered ring, in good to excellent yields. Density functional theory calculations, combined with experimental mechanistic findings, suggest that the copper(I)-catalyzed reaction between the in situ-formed propargylamines and isothiocyanates proceeds with a lower energy barrier in the pathway leading to the S-cyclized product, compared to that of the N-cyclized one, toward the chemo- and regioselective formation of 5-exo-dig S-cyclized thiazolidin-2-imines.

Numerous people are applying for bank loans as a result of the banking industry’s expansion, but because banks only have a certain amount of assets to lend to, they can only do so to a certain number of applicants. Therefore, the banking industry is very interested in finding ways to reduce the risk factor involved in choosing the safe applicant in order to save lots of bank resources. These days, machine learning greatly reduces the amount of work needed to choose the safe applicant. Taking this into account, a novel weights and structure determination (WASD) neural network has been built to meet the aforementioned two challenges of credit approval and loan approval, as well as to handle the unique characteristics of each. Motivated by the observation that WASD neural networks outperform conventional back-propagation neural networks in terms of sluggish training speed and being stuck in local minima, we created a bio-inspired WASD algorithm for binary classification problems (BWASD) for best adapting to the credit or loan approval model by utilizing the metaheuristic beetle antennae search (BAS) algorithm to improve the learning procedure of the WASD algorithm. Theoretical and experimental study demonstrate superior performance and problem adaptability. Furthermore, we provide a complete MATLAB package to support our experiments together with full implementation and extensive installation instructions.