Publications by Year: In Press

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.

Many studies have assessed students’ motivation through surveys, but only a few studies systematically investigated through students’ own words the reasons and aims of their achievement striving. In the present study, we rely on the Goal Complex Perspective (Sommet and Elliot in J Educ Psychol 109(8):1141–1162, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000199; Vansteenkiste et al. in Educ Psychol 49(3):153–174, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520.2014.928598) to uncover qualitative differences in achievement motivation. Content analysis of 1303 statements made by 597 Greek secondary students revealed (i) more autonomous motivation than controlled motivation statements, (ii) spontaneously generated statements of mastery-learning and outcome goals but rarely of performance-normative goals, (iii) mastery-learning goals being coupled with both autonomous and controlled motivation, providing ecological support for the conceptualization of mastery goal complexes. Logistic regression analyses verified our classification, as students’ statements were predicted by corresponding types of motivation assessed by close, Likert-type questions. These findings, which align with the Goal Complex Perspective, are discussed in terms of the operational definition of autonomous and controlled motivation and achievement goals.

Ο Χάνς Κρίστιαν Άντερσεν είναι γνωστός ως ένας από τους σημαντικότερους συγγραφείς παραμυθιών. Ωστόσο, υπήρξε και αξιόλογος εκπρόσωπος της ταξιδιωτικής λογοτεχνίας. Το 1841 πραγματοποίησε ένα εν πολλοίς άγνωστο στο ευρύ κοινό ταξίδι στην μεταεπαναστατική Ελλάδα. Τις εντυπώσεις του από το ταξίδι αυτό τις καταγράφει στο βιβλίο «Το παζάρι ενός ποιητή». Με εφαλτήριο το δέος του για τον πολιτισμό των αρχαίων Ελλήνων και την ελληνική φύση καταλαμβάνεται σύντομα από ένα ευδιάκριτο φιλελληνικό πνεύμα, διά του οποίου προσλαμβάνει και καταγράφει διάφορες όψεις της νεοελληνικής πραγματικότητας και του ελληνικού λαϊκού πολιτισμού. Η μελέτη της «λαϊκής ψυχής» υπήρξε βασικός πυλώνας του φιλελληνισμού κατά τον 19ο αιώνα, καθώς στόχος της ήταν να αποδείξει την πολιτισμική συνέχεια, άρα και την φυλετική ενότητα του ελληνικού γένους. Κείμενα όπως «Το παζάρι ενός ποιητή» αποτελούν μέσο γνωριμίας της ευρωπαϊκής κοινής γνώμης με τον ελληνικό λαϊκό πολιτισμό και καταφέρνουν να τονώσουν και να αναγεννήσουν το ευρωπαϊκό ενδιαφέρον για την Ελλάδα.