Publications by Year: 2005

Rituximab is an active agent for the treatment of Waldenström's macroglobulinemia. However, many patients do not respond to this agent and several others develop secondary resistance. In order to identify clinical and laboratory parameters that could predict a higher likelihood for response, we evaluated 54 patients who were treated with single-agent rituximab. Twenty-four patients (44%)exhibited ≥ 50% reduction of serum monoclonal protein. Previously untreated and pretreated patients had the same probability for response. Low response rates were noted in patients with serum monoclonal protein level ≥ 40 g/L (17%) and serum albumin level < 35 g/L (14%). Furthermore, a multivariate analysis indicated that high serum monoclonal protein and low albumin were the dominant variables associated with shorter time to progression. The presence of 2, 1, or none of these variables was associated with median times to progression of 4 months, 11 months, and approximately 48 months, respectively. We conclude that patients with low levels of monoclonal protein and normal albumin are the best candidates for treatment with rituximab.

BACKGROUND: In cognitively impaired patients without dementia, the utility of apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotyping is unclear. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the predictive utility of the APOE epsilon4 genotype for conversion to probable Alzheimer disease (AD). DESIGN: Naturalistic, longitudinal study. SETTING: Memory disorders outpatient clinic. PATIENTS: A total of 136 patients with memory complaints were determined to have mild cognitive impairment and were evaluated every 6 months. Fifty-seven age- and sex-matched healthy controls were evaluated annually. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome measures included conversion to AD. Secondary outcome measures included change over time in Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score and Selective Reminding Test (SRT) delayed recall score. RESULTS: The APOE epsilon4 allele was present in 25% of patients and 21% of healthy controls. During a mean +/- SD follow-up of 35.2 +/- 24.3 months, 35 of 136 patients converted to AD. APOE epsilon4 carrier status did not differ between converters (31%) and nonconverters to AD (23%, P = .3) and did not affect the time trend in MMSE or SRT scores in the entire sample. Four of 5 APOE epsilon4 homozygotes converted to AD compared with 7 of 29 heterozygotes (P = .02). In a Cox proportional hazards model stratified by age quartiles, after controlling for sex, education, MMSE score, and SRT delayed recall score, APOE epsilon4 increased the risk of AD in patients 70 to 85 years old (n = 57; risk ratio, 2.77; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-7.3; P = .03) but not in patients 55 to 69 years old (n = 79; P = .7). CONCLUSIONS: APOE epsilon4 carrier status was associated with conversion to AD in older outpatients after controlling for known demographic and clinical risk factors, and APOE epsilon4 homozygosity was associated with increased risk of conversion to AD. However, APOE epsilon4 carrier status by itself did not predict cognitive decline or conversion to AD, indicating that APOE genotyping in patients with mild cognitive impairment may have limited clinical applicability for prediction of outcome.

We report multicolour photometric observations of the 2003 eclipse of the long-period (5.6 yr) eclipsing binary EE Cep. Measurements were obtained with ten telescopes at eight observatories in four countries. In most cases, UBV(RI)C broad band filters have been used. The light curve shape shows that the obscuring body is an almost dark disk around a low-luminosity central object. However, variations of the colour indices during the eclipse indicate that the obscuring body emits a considerable amount of radiation in the near infrared.

SUMMARY: A 71-year-old diabetic patient underwent right pneumonectomy with wide mediastinal lymph node dissection for lung cancer (right upper lobe). Postoperatively he developed pleura empyema that was successfully treated - drainage and Eloesser window, followed by adjuvant radiotherapy. Two months later he developed an esophagopleural fistula. Due to the patient's physical condition primary repair of the esophageal rupture was considered a high-risk operation. Stenting was also considered as inappropriate due to the existing contamination. Bypassing with the use of the stomach as conduit was preferred due to its simplicity compared to the colon. In order to avoid mediastinum after the postradiation alterations and because of the Eloesser window we adopted a presternal subcutaneous position. Twenty-eight months after the by pass procedure the patient is in good health being able to eat and drink, has gained weight and shows no evidence of malignancy. Presternal gastric esophageal bypass has never been reported as a treatment for esophagopleural fistula. This case report indicates its possible successful use in this debilitating setting, although more experience is needed.

The prevalence of HIV-1 drug resistance mutations in naive patients has been previously shown to differ greatly with the geographic origin. The purpose of this study was to prospectively estimate the prevalence of HIV-1 drug resistance in Greece by analyzing a representative sample of newly HIV-1 diagnosed patients, as part of the SPREAD collaborative study. Protease (PR) and partial reverse transcriptase (RT) sequences were determined from 101 newly diagnosed HIV-1 patients, in Greece, during the period September 2002--August 2003, representing one-third of the total newly diagnosed HIV-1 patients in the same time period. The prevalence of HIV-1 drug resistance was estimated according to the IAS-USA mutation table taking into account all mutations in RT and only major mutations in PR region. The overall prevalence of resistance was 9% [95% confidence interval (CI): 4.2--16.2%]. The prevalence of mutations associated with resistance to NRTIs was 5% (95% CI: 1.6--11.2%), for NNRTIs was 4% (95% CI: 1.1--9.8%), while no major resistance mutations were found in PR. No multi-class resistance was detected in the study population. The prevalence of resistant mutations in the recent seroconverters was 22%. For two individuals, there was clear evidence for transmitted resistance based on epidemiological information for a known source of HIV-1 transmission. The prevalence of the HIV-1 non-B subtypes and recombinants was 52%.

The authors report the case of a 2-year-old girl with pulmonary cystic adenomatoid malformation type II who presented with a mass on the lower lobe of the left lung. Resection and histological examination revealed pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy followed the operation and the girl is alive and in perfect condition 10 years after the operation. The literature on primary rhabdomyosarcoma of the lung in children is reviewed.

The recent activity of the events over the project has been handled by the experts with restraint. The negotiations between the Russian President Putin and the Greek Prime Minister Mr. Karamanlis that took place in Moscow in December 2004 did not make the situation over the future of the project any clearer. We cannot deny that among many Bosporus bypassing projects, it is the Bourgas-Alexandroupolis project that is the most advantageous for Russia from the geopolitical point of view. And it is logical to assume that the Russian authorities will be guided by the geopolitical interests of the country, while making a decision on overcoming the Bosporus deadlock. The same interests will no doubt become the decisive ones for the policy of the oil companies that are likely to participate in the project. In any case, we should take into account that Russian oil exports are almost completely controlled by the government, and the decision on choosing new export routes is its exclusive prerogative. Thus, the “last word” on the future of Bourgas-Alexandroupolis will be said by the Russian president. The project could be also promoted by the European Union, and it will be in line with the economic and political interests of the EU, that in the future it can confront the situation when Turkey will control oil traffic from the Caspian region to Europe. However, until now there has not been any essential reaction from the EU authorities, and the European Committee on Transport, Energy and Communications has concentrated its attention on the disputable Ukrainian route Odessa-Brody.

In this paper the study of geomorphological characteristics, developed because of the run off, in the Cyclades area and especially in Tinos, Mykonos and Naxos islands, has taken place. In order to explain their development, the geomorphological characteristics were correlated with the lithological, tectonical and hydrological characteristics of the study area. The study area is characterized by a wide variety of different lithological and hydrogeological factors. To achieve this study’s targets, GIS and GPS technology was used in order to geographicallyand statistically analyse the morphological, hydrological, lithological and tectonic factors of this area. The main sources were the pre-existent maps and the literature, aerial photos and satellite images, while the extensive field work resulted to the geomorphological mapping of the area. The results of this study are related to the analysis of the current morphology and are presented on maps and rodograms.

This paper uses a Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) approach to explore the productivity impact of a telemedicine system for obstetrics and gynaecology (O-G) services in the Greek National Health Service (NHS). DEA is a technique that can provide valuable information to aid understanding of the complex relationship between investments in telemedicine and the efficient delivery of services. The study involved 32 (O-G) units located in both peripheral regions and the central area of Attica. Initially, DEA analysis was applied to the units without the use of telemedicine taking into consideration the number of beds, staffing numbers and total expenditure. The analysis indicated that overall improvements in efficiency of between 6-10% could be achieved. There was, however, a marked difference between the units in peripheral regions and Attica. To improve efficiency in the peripheral units would require a 26% reduction in staff and 12% reduction in beds, compared to less than 5% reduction for either beds or staff in Attica. Achievable cost savings were also much higher for peripheral regions compared to central areas. These figures reflect the current status of healthcare in Greece with female patients traveling from the peripheral regions to central areas to receive O-G services. As a consequence, there is overcapacity in peripheral regions. The effect of the introduction of telemedicine was next analysed. This demonstrated that its introduction produces a geographic redistribution of O-G cases with more cases being treated in the peripheral regions. Increased treatment in these regions is associated with increased expenditure for them of approximately 10-20%. This is, however, offset by a decrease of more than 50% in expenditure for the units in Attica due to less patients traveling from the peripheral regions to them for treatment. The introduction of telemedicine also produced significant improvements in efficiency permitting a reduction of approximately 15% in beds and 25% for staff in both peripheral regions and Attica. Improvements in efficiency were more profound in peripheral units with three units achieving a relative efficiency of 100% compared to zero before the introduction of telemedicine. Economically, the introduction of telemedicine was estimated to produce annual savings of 7.5 million Euros, and when combined with the recommendations obtained from DEA achieved total savings of over 13 million Euros or approximately 25% of current expenditure. In conclusion, the study indicates that the introduction of telemedicine would overcome the diagnostic-treatment gap that currently exists in non urban regions for the treatment of O-G cases and enable more patients to be treated in peripheral regions. Application of DEA methodology demonstrated that significant improvements in efficiency and utilisation of resources could also be achieved. © The Journal on Information Technology in Healthcare 2005.

Background: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been a useful technique for the assessment of patients with multiple myeloma (MM). We evaluated the prognostic significance of different MRI patterns in symptomatic patients with MM. Patients and methods: A total of 142 symptomatic MM patients underwent MRI before treatment. MRI patterns of involvement were correlated with known prognostic variables, including the International Staging System (ISS), response to treatment and survival. Results: Focal marrow lesions were identified in 50% of patients, diffuse marrow replacement in 28%, a variegated pattern in 14% and normal pattern in 8%. When patients with the diffuse pattern were compared with patients with the other MRI patterns, they had features of more advanced disease such as higher ISS, anemia, hypercalcemia, elevated lactate dehydrogenase and extensive marrow plasmacytosis. Response rate was similar among patients with different MRI patterns. Median survival was 24 months for patients with the diffuse pattern, 51 months for those with the focal pattern, 52 months for those with the variegated pattern and 56 months for patients with the normal pattern (P = 0.001). The presence or absence of a diffuse MRI pattern separated patients with ISS stages I and II into two subgroups with significantly different survival times of 28 months and 61 months, respectively (P = 0.01). Furthermore, a diffuse MRI pattern predicted inferior outcome regardless of whether or not patients had received high-dose therapy with autologous stem cell transplantation. Conclusion: Diffuse marrow replacement on MRI adds to the evaluation of patients with multiple myeloma and their management. © 2005 European Society for Medical Oncology.

There are 509 expanding neutral hydrogen shells catalogued in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), all apparently very young, with dynamical ages of a few Myr. To examine their relationship with young stellar objects, we cross-correlated the shell catalogue with various catalogues of OB associations, supergiants, Cepheids, Wolf-Rayet stars, supernova remnants and star clusters. The incidence of chance line-ups was estimated via Monte Carlo simulations, and found to be high. However, it is important that there are 1.5 times more shells that are not spatially correlated to an OB association, than shells that are. Moreover, 59 of the 509 shells lie mainly in low stellar density fields and have no young stellar objects associated with them, and therefore no obvious energy source. It is shown that, on the whole, the properties of these `empty' shells are very similar to the properties of the rest of the shells, once selection biases are taken into account. In both cases, the shell radius and expansion velocity distribution functions are consistent with the standard model, according to which shells are created by stellar winds and supernova explosions, as long as all shells were created in a single burst and with a power-law distribution of the input mechanical luminosity. This would indicate a burst of star formation. This interpretation, however, cannot explain why the 59 shells, with no young stellar counterparts, show almost exactly the same behaviour as shells with OB associations within their radius. Gamma-ray bursts could account for some but certainly not for the majority of the `empty' shells. Many `empty' shells, including most of the high-luminosity ones, are located in the north-western outer regions of the SMC, and may be associated with a chimney-like feature that is known to exist in that area. Finally, it is noted that turbulence is a promising mechanism for the formation of the shell-like structures, but direct comparison with the observations was not possible at this stage, due to lack of detailed models.

Το βιβλίο αυτό αναφέρεται στο Φυσικό Περιβάλλον και τα περιβαλλοντικά προβλήματα που αντιμετωπίζει η ανθρωπότητα στην αυγή του 21ου αιώνα και τα οποία προβάλλουν ως απειλή για κάθε μορφή ζωής πάνω στον πλανήτη. Η προσέγγιση βασίζεται σε δύο άξονες: στην επιστήμη και στην εκπαίδευση. Δεν μπορεί να υπάρξει εκπαίδευση για το περιβάλλον χωρίς κατανόηση και γνώση. Δηλαδή χωρίς την κατανόηση και τη γνώση των φυσικών φαινομένων και των διαδικασιών που βρίσκονται πίσω από τα περιβαλλοντικά προβλήματα. Οικολογικά συνειδητοποιημένος πολίτης είναι ο πολίτης που κατανοεί, που έχει γνώση.Η γνώση του μέλλοντος δεν είναι κατακερματισμένη και επιμέρους αλλά ολιστική και συνθετική. Η επιστήμη γίνεται διαδικασία σύνθεσης και όχι αναγωγής. Αποβάλλει τις θετικιστικές της δεσμεύσεις και αναζητά την πολλαπλότητα των προσεγγίσεων, την αισθητική, τις ηθικές και κοινωνικές αξίες. Η μελέτη του Περιβάλλοντος αποτελεί τη βάση πάνω στην οποία γεννιέται η γνώση του μέλλοντος.Το βιβλίο απευθύνεται στους φοιτητές που στο μέλλον θα διδάξουν το ίδιο ή συναφή γνωστικά αντικείμενα, στους εκπαιδευτικούς όλων των βαθμίδων αλλά και στους οικολογικά ευαισθητοποιημένους πολίτες που αποζητούν μια ειδική γνώση και εις βάθος κατανόηση για τα περιβαλλοντικά προβλήματα.[...]

The concept of the law of damages in common law systems is dualistic: damages can be recovered for the losses incurred, including loss of profit, and for punishment of the wrongdoer. On the contrary the concept of the law of damages in civil law systems is purely monistic, at least if taken at face vale. Damages are strictly restricted to compensation. Punishment of the tortfeasor is under no circumstances a legitimate function of damages. Nevertheless during the last decade continental tort law has proven less static than one might initially think. It is still to be examined whether any recent developments have brought the two systems any closer to each other, so as at least to narrow that apparently unbridgeable gap.

The Cycladic islands are located in the central Aegean Sea (Greece) in a relatively low seismicity area and are composed mainly of metamorphic and plutonic rocks. Although the Cycladic plateau is believed to be an entity, a closer morphologic study of the islands through GIS, separates them into two parts: the eastern shallower one (Andros, Tinos, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Syros, Ios, Sikinos, Folegandros) which formed one big island (6.978Km2) at the end of the last glacial period; the western islands (Kea, Kythnos, Serifos, Sifnos, Milos) remained separated during the same period. It is concluded that the eastern islands constitute an erosional plateau which is a product of a Neogene palaeosurface that is partially submerged due to thinning of the crust during the Quaternary.

In Japanese quail, as in rats, the expression of male sexual behavior over relatively long time periods (days to weeks) is dependent on the local production of estradiol in the preoptic area via the aromatization of testosterone. On a short-term basis (minutes to hours), central actions of dopamine as well as locally produced estrogens modulate behavioral expression. In rats, a view of and sexual interaction with a female increase dopamine release in the preoptic area. In quail, in vitro brain aromatase activity (AA) is rapidly modulated by calcium-dependent phosphorylations that are likely to occur in vivo as a result of changes in neurotransmitter activity. Furthermore, an acute estradiol injection rapidly stimulates copulation in quail, whereas a single injection of the aromatase inhibitor vorozole rapidly inhibits this behavior. We hypothesized that brain aromatase and dopaminergic activities are regulated in quail in association with the expression of male sexual behavior. Visual access as well as sexual interactions with a female produced a significant decrease in brain AA, which was maximal after 5 min. This expression of sexual behavior also resulted in a significant decrease in dopaminergic as well as serotonergic activity after 1 min, which returned to basal levels after 5 min. These results demonstrate for the first time that AA is rapidly modulated in vivo in parallel with changes in dopamine activity. Sexual interactions with the female decreased aromatase and dopamine activities. These data challenge established views about the causal relationships among dopamine, estrogen action, and male sexual behavior.

Greek electroacoustic music, born in the New Music environment of the sixties and developed among fruitful and critical periods, seems to be in expansion in our days. In this article we present a brief overview of the genesis and evolution of the electroacoustic music in Greece since 1967 until today, exposing three crucial periods. In the second section we present the works, the means and aesthetics of representative composers of the most recent period (1990-2005). In the last section we focus on the pedagogical and institutional development of the Greek electroacoustic music during the last fifteen years, as well as on the diversity of styles and techniques of works presented in various events in Athens and other places in Greece. We also stress the lack of an official institute for the archiving, creation and expansion of the electroacoustic music, and the indifference of the cultural authorities to cultivate such kind of music.

Human rhinoviruses (RV), the most common triggers of acute asthma exacerbations, are considered not cytotoxic to the bronchial epithelium. Recent observations, however, have questioned this knowledge. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of RV to induce epithelial cytotoxicity and affect epithelial repair in-vitro.|Monolayers of BEAS-2B bronchial epithelial cells, seeded at different densities were exposed to RV serotypes 1b, 5, 7, 9, 14, 16. Cytotoxicity was assessed chromatometrically. Epithelial monolayers were mechanically wounded, exposed or not to RV and the repopulation of the damaged area was assessed by image analysis. Finally epithelial cell proliferation was assessed by quantitation of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) by flow cytometry.|RV1b, RV5, RV7, RV14 and RV16 were able to induce considerable epithelial cytotoxicity, more pronounced in less dense cultures, in a cell-density and dose-dependent manner. RV9 was not cytotoxic. Furthermore, RV infection diminished the self-repair capacity of bronchial epithelial cells and reduced cell proliferation.|RV-induced epithelial cytotoxicity may become considerable in already compromised epithelium, such as in the case of asthma. The RV-induced impairment on epithelial proliferation and self-repair capacity may contribute to the development of airway remodeling.

{Viremia has been implicated in many viral infections; however, viremia due to rhinovirus (RV; rhinoviremia) has been considered not to occur in normal individuals.|To evaluate whether RV enters the bloodstream and identify the possible risk factors.|Nasopharyngeal washes (NPWs) of 221 children with respiratory infections were examined for the presence of RV by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Blood from 88 children, whose NPW was RV-positive, and 31 of RV-negative control subjects was subsequently examined for the presence of RV in the blood by semi-nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Rhinoviremia was then correlated with clinical characteristics of the disease.|RV was detected in the blood of 10 out of 88 NPW RV-positive cases (11.4%): 7 of 28 children with asthma exacerbations (25.0%), 2 of 26 with common cold (7.7%), 1 of 25 with bronchiolitis (4.0%), and 0 of 9 with pneumonia (0%). All NPW RV-negative cases were negative in the blood. The proportion of rhinoviremia in children with asthma exacerbation was significantly higher compared with children suffering from the other diseases (25 vs. 5%

The optical response of a two-dimensional periodic array of metallic nanoparticles on a dielectric waveguide is investigated by means of numerical calculations using the on-shell layer-multiple-scattering method. We find that the strong interaction between particle-plasmon and waveguide modes influences drastically the extinction spectrum of the system. Our results explain successfully available experimental data and provide a transparent physical picture of the underlying processes.

We calculate the monthly components of the Mediterranean Sea heat budget, namely the net shortwave, net longwave, latent, sensible heat fluxes, and heat storage change, for years 1984-2000. The radiative components of the seasonal heat budget are derived by a radiation transfer model, while in most other studies bulk formulae are used. A variety of data are required to run the model, among which are cloud data from International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) D2 data set, aerosol data from Global Aerosol Data Set (GADS), temperature and humidity from National Center for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP/NCAR) and European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Re-Analysis (ERA-40), and oceanographical data from Mediterranean Data Archaeology and Rescue (MEDAR) MEDATLAS database and the World Ocean Atlas 2001. We compare two methods for the estimation of the monthly latent heat flux and evaporation: the bulk aerodynamic and the heat balance. The average annual evaporation rate for the Mediterranean Sea, based on the heat balance method, is estimated at 1500 ± 190 mm yr-1. The bulk aerodynamic method produces estimates of the annual evaporation rate in the range 1060-1280 mm yr-1, depending on the source of the input data. The analysis of the heat content shows that the solar heat absorbed by the sea during summer is redistributed to winter evaporation via heat storage by the sea. Thus the peak evaporation occurs in winter and is mainly driven by energy released (100-150 Wm-2) from sea heat storage.

Objective: To assess endogenous androgen and insulin resistance status in postmenopausal women receiving continuous combined hormone therapy (HT), tibolone, raloxifene or no therapy. Methods: A total of 427 postmenopausal women aged 42-71 years were studied in a cross-sectional design. Among them 84 were taking HT (46 women conjugated equine estrogens 0.625 mg; medroxyprogesterone acetate, 5 mg, CEE/MPA; and 38 women 17β-estradiol 2 mg; norethisterone acetate 1 mg, E2/NETA); 83 were taking tibolone 2.5 mg; 50 were taking raloxifene HCl 60 mg; and 210 women were not receiving any therapy. Main outcome measures were FSH, LH, estradiol, total testosterone, SHBG, free androgen index (FAI), Δ4-Androstendione (Δ4-A), Dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) and HOMA insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR). Results: In women not on hormone therapy smoking and older age was associated with lower DHEAS levels. FAI values increased linearly with increasing BMI. Age and BMI were positive determinants of HOMA-IR, while no association was identified between endogenous sex steroids and insulin resistance. CEE/MPA therapy was associated with higher SHBG, lower FAI and lower HOMA-IR values compared to women not on therapy (age and BMI-adjusted SHBG: CEE/MPA 148.8 nmol/l, controls 58.7 nmol/l, p < 0.01; age-adjusted FAI: CEE/MPA 0.8, controls 3.2, p < 0.05; age-adjusted HOMA-IR: CEE/MPA 1.3, controls 2.6, p < 0.05). On the contrary, E2/NETA treatment had no effect on these parameters. Women on tibolone had lower SHBG, higher FAI and similar HOMA-IR values compared to controls (age and BMI-adjusted SHBG: 24.1 nmol/l, p < 0.01; FAI: 6.0, p < 0.05; HOMA-IR: 2.3, p = NS). Raloxifene users did not exhibit any difference with respect to sex steroids and HOMA-IR levels. Conclusions: CEE/MPA users had lower free testosterone and improved insulin sensitivity. Tibolone on the other hand associated with higher free testosterone, while raloxifene did not relate to any of these parameters. © 2004 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

{The g factor of the first excited 21+ state in 46Ca has been remeasured with better accuracy than previously obtained, g(21+, 46Ca) = -0.26(6). The experiment utilized the transient field technique combined with Coulomb excitation in inverse kinematics. This result was analyzed in terms of shell model plus deformed core calculations. The positive g factors of the 2 1+ states in Ca and Ca suggest that the 21+ state wave functions require significant particle-hole excitations of the Z = 20

Side Population (SP) cells, isolated from murine adult bone marrow (BM) based on the exclusion of the DNA dye Hoechst 33342, exhibit potent hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) activity when compared to Main Population (MP) cells. Furthermore, SP cells derived from murine skeletal muscle exhibit both hematopoietic and myogenic potential in vivo. The multipotential capacity of SP cells isolated from variable tissues is supported by an increasing number of studies. To investigate whether the SP phenotype is associated with a unique transcriptional profile, we characterized gene expression of SP cells isolated from two biologically distinct tissues, bone marrow and muscle. Comparison of SP cells with differentiated MP cells within a tissue revealed that SP cells are in an active transcriptional and translational status and underexpress genes reflecting tissue-specific functions. Direct comparison of gene expression of SP cells isolated from different tissues identified genes common to SP cells as well as genes specific to SP cells within a particular tissue and further define a muscle and bone marrow environment. This study reports gene expression of muscle SP cells, common features and differences between SP cells isolated from muscle and bone marrow, and further identifies common signaling pathways that might regulate SP cell functions.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To investigate the response to interval exercise (IE) training by looking at changes in morphologic and biochemical characteristics of the vastus lateralis muscle, and to compare these changes to those incurred after constant-load exercise (CLE) training. DESIGN: Randomized, controlled, parallel, two-group study (IE vs CLE training). SETTING: Multidisciplinary, outpatient, hospital-based, pulmonary rehabilitation program. PATIENTS: Nineteen patients with stable advanced COPD (mean +/- SEM FEV1, 40 +/- 4% predicted). INTERVENTIONS: Patients (n = 10) assigned to IE training exercised at a mean intensity of 124 +/- 15% of baseline peak exercise capacity (peak work rate [Wpeak]) with 30-s work periods interspersed with 30-s rest periods for 45 min/d. Patients (n = 9) allocated to CLE training exercised at a mean intensity of 75 +/- 5% Wpeak for 30 min/d. Patients exercised 3 d/wk for 10 weeks. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Needle biopsies of the right vastus lateralis muscle were performed before and after rehabilitation. After IE training, the cross-sectional areas of type I and IIa fibers were significantly increased (type I before, 3,972 +/- 455 microm2; after, 4,934 +/- 467 microm2 [p = 0.004]; type IIa before, 3,695 +/- 372 microm2; after, 4,486 +/- 346 microm2 [p = 0.008]), whereas the capillary-to-fiber ratio was significantly enlarged (from 1.13 +/- 0.08 to 1.24 +/- 0.07 [p = 0.013]). Citrate synthase activity increased (from 14.3 +/- 1.4 to 20.5 +/- 4.2 micromol/min/g), albeit not significantly (p = 0.097). There was also a significant improvement in Wpeak (by 19 +/- 5%; p = 0.04) and in lactate threshold (by 17 +/- 5%; p = 0.02). The magnitude of changes in all the above variables was not significantly different compared to that incurred after CLE training. During training sessions, however, ratings of dyspnea and leg discomfort, expressed as fraction of values achieved at baseline Wpeak, were significantly lower (p < 0.05) for IE training (73 +/- 9% and 60 +/- 8%, respectively) compared to CLE training (83 +/- 10% and 87 +/- 13%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: High-intensity IE training is equally effective to moderately intense CLE training in inducing peripheral muscle adaptations; however, IE is associated with fewer training symptoms.

We present a small polaron hopping model for interpreting the strong temperature (T) dependence of the electrical conductivity, σ, observed at high (h) temperatures along DNA molecules. The model takes into account the one-dimensional character of the system and the presence of disorder in the DNA double helix. Percolation-theoretical considerations lead to analytical expressions for the high temperature multiphonon-assisted small polaron hopping conductivity, the hopping distance and their temperature dependence. The experimental data for lambda phage DNA (λ-DNA) and poly(dA)–poly(dT) DNA follow nicely the theoretically predicted behaviour (EQUATION). Moreover, our model leads to realistic values of the maximum hopping distances, supporting the idea of multiphonon-assisted hopping of small polarons between next nearest neighbours of the DNA molecular 'wire'. The low temperature case is also investigated.

A short shear (SH) wave profile was collected as a part of a wider experiment involving P- and S-wave reflection and refraction measurements for further processing. The purpose of the experiment was to examine the efficiency of ultra shallow bedrock surface by SH reflection imaging commonly implemented in engineering applications. The original SH data suffer from direct, refracted, guided and surface waves interference. In some Common Shot Gathers the presence of significant P wave energy is also obvious, despite the use of special designed SH-wave detectors and the use of a pure horizontal energy source, i.e. a hydraulic seismic generator device. We tested the efficiency of successive processing steps focusing on multiple energy attenuation, followed by the implementation of a technique for reducing the source generated noise, both based on forward and reverse linear and parabolic Radon transformations. The proposed scheme was applied on the data collected along a 49-shot records SH wave reflection profile.

This article presents a survey of Greek EFL teachers' (N = 421) attitudes regarding their pronunciation beliefs and practices. It touches on two sets of questions. First, it refers to teachers' viewpoints regarding pronunciation-specific issues and the possible links between pronunciation teaching, English as an international language (EIL), and the sociocultural identity of nonnative speakers of English (NNSs). Second, it tries to establish the extent to which these teachers are aware of EIL-related matters, such as the need for mutual intelligibility in NNS-NNS communication. We conclude that teachers' viewpoints are predominantly norm bound. We further attempt to make sense of these viewpoints by referring to (a) the teachers' sense of being the custodians of the English language as regards English language learners and (b) the wider sociocultural linguistic background in Greece (which involves a history of diglossia and a recent experience of a massive inflow of immigrants). We go on to suggest ways to raise teachers' awareness of EIL-related concerns by suggesting that they use their immediate geopolitical and sociocultural surroundings.

We present calculations of the spectral and temporal radiative signatures expected from ultrarelativistic protons in compact sources. The coupling between the protons and the leptonic component is assumed to occur via Bethe-Heitler pair production. This process is treated by modeling the results of Monte-Carlo simulations and incorporating them in a time-dependent kinetic equation, that we subsequently solve numerically. Thus, the present work is, in many respects, an extension of the leptonic “one-zone” models to include hadrons. Several examples of astrophysical importance are presented, such as the signature resulting from the cooling of relativistic protons on an external black-body field and that of their cooling in the presence of radiation from injected electrons. We also investigate and refine the threshold conditions for the “Pair Production/Synchrotron” feedback loop which operates when relativistic protons cool efficiently on the synchrotron radiation of the internally produced Bethe-Heitler pairs. We demonstrate that an additional component of injected electrons lowers the threshold for this instability.

We study the magnetization, M, and the spin polarization, ζ, of n-doped non-magnetic-semiconductor (NMS)/narrow to wide dilute-magnetic-semiconductor (DMS)/n-doped NMS quantum wells, as a function of the temperature, T, and the in-plane magnetic field, B. Under such conditions the density of states (DOS) deviates from the occasionally stereotypic step-like form, both quantitatively and qualitatively. The DOS modification causes an impressive fluctuation of M in cases of vigorous competition between spatial and magnetic confinement. At low T, the enhanced electron spin-splitting, Uoσ, acquires its bigger value. At higher T, Uoσ decreases, augmenting the influence of the spin-up electrons. Increasing B, Uoσ increases and accordingly electrons populate spin-down subbands while they abandon spin-up subbands. Furthermore, due to the DOS modification, all energetically higher subbands become gradually depopulated.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to record and analyze the dynamic nature of spontaneous smiles. METHODS: Fifteen children (9 girls and 6 boys; average age, 10.5 years) were filmed with a hidden camera while they watched a funny cartoon video. Spontaneous smiles were recorded, and the video frames were digitized. Time-graphs of the measurements were constructed, and plots of the movement of the mouth points were drawn. RESULTS: Facial measurements showed that the upper lip elevated by 28%, relative to the rest position, and the mouth increased in width by 27%. The corners of the mouth moved laterally and superiorly at an angle of approximately 47 degrees . Time analysis showed that the smiles developed in a staged fashion. The first stage (attack phase) was the shortest, lasting an average 500 ms. It was followed by a sustaining phase that included waxing and waning. The smile ended with a fade-out stage. The second and third stages were of variable duration and could be interrupted by the attack phase of a subsequent smile. CONCLUSIONS: The dynamics of the spontaneous smile and the findings of this study raise concerns about the validity of a single photographic capture for esthetic assessment and treatment planning.

The recent advances in biology and technology genetics have a great influence on the human being and further on the human-athlete, since the human cloning possibilities and the potentiality to create the conditions which will allow the blastocells production, actually leads to the creation of organic cells which contribute to the revival of the body- tissue. The international consideration that has already been developed for this matter is mainly concentrated on: a) whether or not such a scientific development consists of an interference in the biological human status and, b) whether or not such an action is morally acceptable. Those supporting the aforementioned procedures consider that the moral objections inhibit the development of important sectors of the latest technology which allows the improvement of the living conditions. On the other hand those criticizing these procedures claim that this scientific advance is actually an interference in the historical and natural continuity of the human being and further a clear moral offence to the human rights. Consequently, the development in biogenetics set up a new perception of the athlete as an individual and of sports as an anthropological phenomenon, since the role of the first is denied and the importance of the latter is downgraded. Considering that “athletics” is a phenomenon that brings together the individual with his/her nature, the genetic interference in the future athlete results in the contrary, i.e his/her withdrawal from his/her nature, while it degenerates the value of sports and weakens the importance of the sports spirit.

Skin prick testing (SPT) is the standard method for diagnosing allergic sensitization but is to some extent performed differently in clinical centres across Europe. There would be advantages in harmonizing the standard panels of allergens used in different European countries, both for clinical purposes and for research, especially with increasing mobility within Europe and current trends in botany and agriculture. As well as improving diagnostic accuracy, this would allow better comparison of research findings in European allergy centres. We have compared the different SPT procedures operating in 29 allergy centres within the Global Allergy and Asthma European Network (GA(2)LEN). Standard SPT is performed similarly in all centres, e.g. using commercial extracts, evaluation after 15-20 min exposure with positive results defined as a wheal >3 mm diameter. The perennial allergens included in the standard SPT panel of inhalant allergens are largely similar (e.g. cat: pricked in all centres; dog: 26 of 29 centres and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus: 28 of 29 centres) but the choice of pollen allergens vary considerably, reflecting different exposure and sensitization rates for regional inhalant allergens. This overview may serve as reference for the practising doctor and suggests a GA(2)LEN Pan-European core SPT panel.

Η παρούσα μελέτη βασίζεται στην έρευνα που πραγματοποιήθηκε σύμφωνα με το πρόγραμμα του Ιδρύματος Κρατικών Υποτροφιών για μεταδιδακτορική έρευνα στην Ελλάδα και είχε διάρκεια δύο εξαμήνων με παράταση  υποβολής του τελικού έργου για ακόμη ένα εξάμηνο. Επιθυμία μας ήταν να προβληθεί στο ευρύτερο κοινό η υιοθεσία τέκνων, όχι μόνο ως επιλογή των συζύγων στην αντιμετώπιση της ατεκνίας, αλλά και ως πράξη αγάπης που αποσκοπεί στο συμφέρον των ορφανών και εγκατελειμμένων παιδιών. Το θέμα συνήθως εξετάζεται από νομικούς και κοινωνικούς λειτουργούς, στην προκέιμενη έρευνα εξετάζεται από την χριστιανική ηθική. Η Εκκλησία ευλογεί με συγκεκριμένη ακολουθία και ευχές την πράξη της υιοθεσίας και με τον τρόπο αυτό καταλύεται η λεγόμενη μυστικότητα που τηρούν οι γονείς και οι συγγενείς προς τον υιοθετούμενο. Εκτός όμως από την τεχνητή δημιουργία σχέσης γονιών και τέκνου με τη διαδικασία της υιοθεσίας, που αναμφίβολα ανήκει στη σφαίρα του οικογενειακού δικαίου και της κοινωνικής μέριμνας, εμφανίζεται στη παύλεια θεολογία η ίδια λέξη για να καταδείξει τη σωτηρία των πιστών, μέσω της θείας υιοθεσίας από το Θεό πατέρα.  Για την υιοθεσία τέκνων αναφύονται τα εξής ερωτήματα:   α. Είναι ηθικά  ορθό να υιοθετούν τέκνα οι ορθόδοξοι χριστιανοί στην προσπάθειά τους να ξεπεράσουν το όνειδος της ατεκνίας τους; β.  Μήπως η υιοθεσία δεν αφορά μόνο στους ατέκνους, αλλά αναφέρεται και σε ζευγάρια που έχουν ήδη αποκτήσει παιδιά; γ. Πόσο επηρεάζεται η προβολή της επιλογής της υιοθεσίας στα ηθικά διλήμματα, τα οποία δημιούργησε η πρόοδος των τεχνολογιών της υποβοηθούμενης αναπαραγωγής; δ. Γιατί πάντα υπάρχει η βούληση των ατέκνων για υιοθεσία, παρά τις δυνατότητες υποβοηθούμενης αναπαραγωγής, ενώ κάποιοι άλλοι την απορρίπτουν σε κάθε περίπτωση;  Τέτοιου είδους ερωτήματα φιλοδοξεί να εξετάσει η παρούσα έρευνα και να προσεγγίσει ηθικά το θέμα. Συγκεκριμένα, η εργασία χωρίζεται σε τέσσερα κεφάλαια. Στο πρώτο κεφάλαιο γίνεται αναφορά στην ιστορική αναδρομή του θεσμού της υιοθεσίας, στη σύγχρονη ελληνική νομοθεσία, που σχετικά πρόσφατα έχει αλλάξει, στο  νέο  θεσμό της ανάδοχης οικογένειας, στην ιδρυματική φροντίδα των ορφανών και εγκαταλειμμένων παιδιών, όπως είναι τα κέντρα παιδικής μέριμνας, τα ορφανοτροφεία της Εκκλησίας και τα παιδικά χωριά.  Στο δεύτερο κεφάλαιο εξετάζουμε την υιοθεσία μέσα από άλλα συναφή θέματα και προβλήματα, όπως τα κίνητρα που οδηγούν σ’ αυτή, τη μυστικότητα και την άρνησή της, τις νέες προοπτικές που συνδέονται με την υιοθεσία, όπως τη σχέση της με το διαδίκτυο, την υποβοηθούμενη αναπαραγωγή, τη γενετική. Επιπλέον, αναφέρονται οι δυνατότητες υιοθεσίας από ομοφυλοφίλους, από μοναχικά άτομα, από αλλοθρήσκους, όπως και οι υιοθεσίες με παιδιών από διαφορετικές φυλές και εθνότητες και με παιδιά με ειδικές ανάγκες. Περιγράφεται τέλος με συντομία η ψυχολογία των εμπλεκομένων στην υιοθεσία και αναφέρονται χαρακτηριστικές περιπτώσεις υιοθεσιών. Στο τρίτο κεφάλαιο γίνεται αναφορά σε βίους αγίων σχετικούς με τη υιοθεσία και παρατίθενται  τα κείμενα που μας ενδιαφέρουν από την ορθόδοξη χριστιανική άποψη, όπως οι ακολουθίες και ευχές για την υιοθεσία και οι αναφορές σε ιερούς Κανόνες. Το κεφάλαιο κατακλείεται με τις απόψεις σύγχρονων θεολόγων και ποιμένων για το θεσμό της υιοθεσίας τέκνων. Στο τέταρτο κεφάλαιο εξετάζεται σύντομα η πατρότητα από θεολογική και κοινωνική άποψη και γίνεται αναφορά στη θεολογία του όρου «υιοθεσία», όπως αυτή χρησιμοποιήθηκε από τον απ. Παύλο. Η δική μας έρευνα εξετάζει την υιοθεσία τέκνων από την ορθόδοξη χριστιανική ηθική. Η θετική στάση απέναντι στην υιοθεσία τέκνων, αν και πολλές φορές είναι αυτονόητη, θεμελιώνεται στην προσφορά προς τον πλησίον με τον τονισμό του συμφέροντος του πάσχοντος συνανθρώπου, κι όχι αποκλειστικά των συζύγων εκείνων που αναζητούν να λύσουν τα προβλήματα ατεκνίας τους. Αποτελεί έργο αγάπης και πράξη μίμησης Θεού. Τέλος, η εργασία ολοκληρώνεται με τα συμπεράσματα, την παράθεση της βιβλιογραφίας και ενός εκτεταμένου παραρτήματος που περιλαμβάνει σχετικά κείμενα με την υιοθεσία. Αξίζει να σημειωθεί ότι οι βιλιοπαρουσιάσεις του εν λόγω πονήματος σε σχολές γονέων και σε διαλέξεις που διοργανώθηκαν από Ιερές Μητροπόλεις της Βορείου Ελλάδος, συνετέλεσαν στην τέλεση της ιερής ακολουθίας της υιοθεσίας σε Ι. Ναούς, σύμφωνα με μαρτυρίες ιερέων και γονέων, οι οποίοι υιοθέτησαν τέκνα με νόμιμο τρόπο. ΙSBN 960-78l4-24-x (set 960-7814-05-03). Κωδικός Βιβλίου στον Εύδοξο: 14297

This paper describes the study of the structural control of the Meganissi island coastal zone and its geomorphological evolution; based on that it detects and presents coastal hazard. The coastal geomorphology is affected by the lithological configuration, the tectonism, the wider seismotectonic status and the sea activity. For this study, a database has been structured in G.I.S. was using all data deriving from the above characteristics as well as detailed fieldwork, aerial photos, satellite images and pre-existing maps. Data were analysed and processed in order to locate zones of high hazard risk. Finally, a hazard risk map was developed for Meganissi island.

Purpose: p27 protein is regarded as a valuable prognostic biomarker in cancer with a potential use as a molecular target. However, different methods of immunohistochemical assessment have yielded conflicting results. Here, we sought to determine the prognostic value of p27 in ovarian cancer using a novel method of compartmentalized in situ protein analysis. Experimental Design: A tissue array composed of 150 advanced stage ovarian cancers uniformly treated, with surgical debulking followed by platinum-paclitaxel combination chemotherapy, was constructed. For evaluation of p27 protein expression, we used an immunofluorescence-based method of automated in situ quantitative measurement of protein analysis [automated quantitative analysis (AQUA)]. Results: The mean follow-up time of the patients was 34.3 months. Patients with low Fédération Internationale des Gynaecologistes et Obstetristes stage were more likely to have low nuclear p27 expression (P = 0.008). Low nuclear p27 expression was associated with improved 3-year overall survival (66% versus 20%, P = 0.0047) and disease-free survival (27% versus 12%, P = 0.022). In multivariable analysis, adjusting for well-characterized prognostic variables, low nuclear p27 expression level was the most significant prognostic factor for both disease-free and overall survival. Conclusions: Our results indicate that quantitative assessment of nuclear p27 expression level by automated in situ quantitative analysis is a strong predictor for outcome in ovarian cancer. © 2005 American Association for Cancer Research.

A robust methodology is presented for the accurate modal analysis of three-dimensional dielectric waveguides with the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. We investigate the propagation of well-defined vector modes along strongly guiding rectangular waveguides. Eigensolutions of the vectorial wave equation are utilized in the simulations to accurately launch the fundamental and higher order eigenmodes. Results for their FDTD-computed propagation constant are found to be in excellent agreement with existing mode-solving techniques. Improved accuracy or significant computational savings are achieved when the nonstandard FDTD concepts are incorporated in the context of the present analysis. © 2005 IEEE.

We investigate the magnetization of II–VI non‐magnetic‐semiconductor (NMS) / narrow to wide dilute‐magnetic‐semiconductor (DMS) / NMS quantum wells. These structures are appropriate for conduction‐band spintronics. We employ an in‐plane magnetic field, B, in order to induce non‐step‐like density of states. Finally, we tune the spin polarization by varying the temperature, T, and B, i.e. we investigate the magnetic phases of these NMS/DMS/NMS structures.

Thalidomide has antiangiogenic and immunomodulatory properties and has recently been used in the management of human malignancies. Multiple studies have confirmed its activity in multiple myeloma, alone or combined with dexamethasone and/or chemotherapy as first- or second-line treatment. In addition, it may reduce the need for transfusions in patients with myelofibrosis or myelodysplastic syndromes. The activity of thalidomide in solid tumours is less prominent. The most promising results have been reported in Kaposi's sarcoma, malignant melanoma and prostate cancer, especially when it is combined with chemotherapy. Recently, thalidomide analogues (immunomodulatory drugs), with higher immunomodulatory activity and different toxicity profile, have been developed. They have already shown promising activity in multiple myeloma and are currently being evaluated in clinical studies. © 2005 Ashley Publications Ltd.

The optical properties of three-dimensional photonic crystals consisting of polaritonic spheres in a dielectric host medium are studied by means of accurate numerical calculations using the on-shell layer-multiple-scattering method. The transmission characteristics of finite slabs of these materials are related to the complex band structure of the corresponding infinite crystals and the effect of dissipative losses is examined.

We investigate generalized asymmetric left-handed (LH) slab waveguides that constitute an extension to the symmetric structure initially proposed by Pendry. By utilizing the asymmetry it has been shown that they have the potential for increased image resolution. This is due to the amplification of the formed surface waves (SWs) that is able to compensate material losses. Some preliminary studies in this direction have been reported in the literature but, to the best of our knowledge, there is no complete study of all possible S W eigenmodes supported by such LH waveguides. A rigorous theoretical investigation is presented herein that offers clear mathematical explanation and detailed physical insight into the formation of surface polaritons (SPs) in these heterostructures and provides the conditions for their existence. It is found that a rich variety of SP modes can exist (30 in total) that depend critically on the combination of the different refractive indices, constitutive parameters ε(ω) and μ(ω) the sample geometry. For each case we provide the geometric dispersion diagram and the profile of the corresponding stable field configuration from which the various characteristics of the mode (enhancement, phase reversal) are apparent, An interesting result of the above analysis is that, for certain choices of the material parameters, the coupling between the interfaces allows the existence of new 'supermodes' when no stable solutions exist at the isolated interfaces of the slab alone. Finally, the modes that give rise to negative group velocity are identified and key features of the dispersion diagrams are discussed, most of which are unique to the structures studied herein and have not been previously recovered with symmetrical studies.

Basel, Switzerland,  Αποτελεί δημοσίευση περίληψης της ανακοίνωσης μας στο Συνέδριο της Ολλανδίας (ESF Euroconference, «Biomedicine within the Limits of Existence», Doom Utrecht, Holland, 8-13 Αpril 2005), την οποία συμπεριέλαβε το επιστημονικό περιοδικό της Societe Suisse d’ Ethique Biomedicale. Υπήρξε ιδιαίτερη επιθυμία από τη συντακτική επιτροπή για τη δημοσίευση αυτή και για περαιτέρω συνεργασία. Μέρος των απόψεων για την ανθρώπινη κλωνοποίηση που γράφτηκαν για το ελβετικό αυτό περιοδικό, το οποίο δημοσιεύει άρθρα στα αγγλικά, γαλλικά, γερμανικά και ιταλικά, περιλαμβάνονται και αποτελούν θέσεις που εκφράσθηκαν παλαιότερα στη δημοσίευση στην Επιστημονική Επετηρίδα του Τμήματος Θεολογίας 12 (2002), σελ. 389-395.

Field body temperatures (T(b)s), activity cycles, and preferred body temperatures maintained in a laboratory thermogradient (T-sel) were studied for Podarcis milensis, a small, endemic, lacertid lizard occurring in Milos Archipelago, Greece. P. milensis is active all year round; overall maximum activity level is recorded in spring, and minimum activity in winter. Daily activity patterns range from unimodal (winter) to strongly bimodal (summer). Body temperature of adults of the examined population (n = 188) averages 31.3 degrees C range 21.5-38.4 degrees C, SD 3.27 degrees C; mean monthly T(b)s are grouped together into "seasons". The species actively thermoregulates, and effectiveness of thermoregulation for the month of August is high, 0.95. The thermoregulatory behavior, microhabitat utilization, and activity cycle of this population are all discussed in the specific context of our study system: the harsh thermal environment of an insular sand dune.

The present study attempted a follow-up of the time characteristics in elite volleyball, four years after the implementation of the new regulations. To this aim data concerning set and match points and duration and total match duration from two consecutive Olympic volleyball competitions in men and women (Sidney, 2000 and Athens, 2004) were compared. Results indicated a statistically significant increase of the corresponding sets duration, and as a result of the match and total match duration, in the Athens Olympics, both for men and women. On the contrary the total number of set points remained the same. Consequently, the increase in set time duration is caused exclusively by rally time expansion. In conclusion, time characteristics of the volleyball game continue to be influenced by the impact of the new regulations.  Keywords: volleyball, time characteristics, rules.

Published in CORDIS March 2006 http://cordis.europa.eu.int/ist/directorate g/seminar20060405.htm (Η εισήγηση (position paper και action plan) της κα. Καμπερίδου ως μέλος του GEAG  συμπεριλήφθηκαν στους ατομικούς φακέλους/ντοσιέ των συμμετεχόντων και στις συζητήσεις. Στη συνέχεια ακολούθησε και δημοσίευση στο Cordis: http://cordis.europa.eu.int/ist/directorate g/seminar20060405.htm)--- **(Kamberidou, I., & Patsantaras, N. (2005). 'Towards a Gender-Neutral Inclusive Information Society: Preserving the European Model in the Information Age'. Women in Science Seminar: Women in the Information Society, European Commission Information Society and Media Directorate-General, Brussels (pp. 1–11), Brussels (DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.4646.0962). Published in Cordis: http://cordis.europa.eu.int/ist/directorate g/seminar20060405.htm.Abstract http://scholar.uoa.gr/sites/default/files/ikamper/files/towards_a_gender_neutral_inclusive_information_society.pdf   [ L. in Apella]

1. Position Paper-action plan distributed in folders of all the participants at the Women in the Information Society Seminar: Women in the Information Society, European Commission Information Society and Media Directorate-General, 5/4/2005, Centre Borschette, rue Froissart 36-1049, Brussels.
2. Participation as member of the Gender Expert Action Group (GEAG) of the European Commission DG for Information Society and Media [ L.1.  in Apella]

• Η εισήγηση (position paper και action plan) της κα. Καμπερίδου ως μέλος του GEAG (εμπειρογνώμων για θέματα φύλου και ισότητας) συμπεριλήφθηκαν στους ατομικούς φακέλους/ντοσιέ των συμμετεχόντων και στις συζητήσεις. Στη συνέχεια ακολούθησε και η δημοσίευση στο Cordis: http://cordis.europa.eu.int/ist/directorate g/seminar20060405.htm)  DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.4646.0962

Transient-field strengths for Mg ions traversing Gd hosts have been measured above the K-shell electron velocity. The results support a recent model-based extrapolation of the transient-field strength and show sufficient magnitude for g-factor measurements on exotic nuclei near the island of inversion around 32Mg produced as intermediate-energy fragments. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

This is a retrospective analysis of 150 patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer who had failed prior treatment or were unfit for chemotherapy and were treated with oral gefitinib ('lressa', ZD1839; AstraZeneca) 250 mg/day. Thirty-two patients who received gefitinib for 3 weeks or less were not included in the analysis. For the remaining 118 evaluable patients, the mean age was 63.1 years; most patients had received prior chemotherapy (97.5%), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status scores 0-2 (97.4%) and stage IV disease (64.4%). The majority were symptomatic (84.6%). Disease control was observed in 30 patients (25.4%), of whom five had a partial response and 25 had stable disease; 18 (15.3%) were not evaluable. Median duration of treatment was 29.9 weeks in responding patients and 11.5 in patients with progressive disease (p<0.0001). Median overall survival was 7.3 months (15.2 months for disease control) and median progression-free survival was 3.2 months. Gefitinib was well tolerated, with grade 3/4 skin rash and diarrhea seen in 2.5 and 4.2% of patients, respectively. Clinical benefit was evaluated using questionnaires before and following treatment with gefitinib. In 82 patients with completed questionnaires, evaluation revealed symptom improvement in 40.1% and improvement in general feeling in 31.4%. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) analysis found that efficacy did not correlate with tumor EGFR overexpression. Therefore, in this retrospective analysis, gefitinib treatment provided disease control in 25% of patients who derived significant palliative benefit. © 2005 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Background and Objectives. Bortezomib is a selective proteasome inhibitor which has shown significant activity in a variety of hematologic malignancies including multiple myeloma, mantle cell lymphoma and marginal zone lymphoma. Thus, this agent is worth studying in patients with Waldenström's macroglobulinemia (WM). Design and Methods. Patients with refractory or relapsed WM were treated with bortezomib administered intravenously at a dose of 1.3 mg/m2 on days 1, 4, 8 and 11 in a 21-day cycle for a total of four cycles. Results. Ten previously treated patients with WM were treated with bortezomib. Most patients had been exposed to all active agents for WM and eight patients had received three or more regimens. Six of these patients achieved a partial response which occurred at a median of 1 month. The median time to progression in the responding patients is expected to exceed 11 months. Bortezomib was relatively well tolerated. The more common toxicities were mild or moderate thrombocytopenia, fever and fatigue while peripheral neuropathy occurred in three patients and one patient developed severe paralytic ileus. Interpretation and Conclusions. Our preliminary data indicate that bortezomib is an active agent in patients with heavily pretreated relapsed/refractory WM. Four cycles of this agent may be adequate to assess sensitivity in this disease. Further studies are needed to confirm our results and to evaluate combinations of bortezomib with other active agents. ©2005 Ferrata Storti Foundation.

The nova-like variable TT Ari had shown a luminosity change with a drastic change of the light curve. This state is distincly different from both the bright "negative superhump" state and the "positive superhump" state known before.

The surface waves method was used in this case study as an alternative and efficient tool for geological and geotechnical investigation. The site is located at Glyfada, Athens where neogene formations, mainly composed by clayish layers with intercalations of conglomerates, are present. The results were compared with data from geotechnical investigation and seismic refraction data.

In this paper the counteractive dynamic marine and river environments responsible for a river mouth’s and a delta’s modulation is studied. The Acheloos River (West Greece) was chosen as the case study due to the recent changes taken place in its basin. The aim of this study is to analyze the present dominant environment and the impact of human activity on this balance. A GIS database was developed and updated in order to provide access for future use and computer analysis (both spatial and chronological). The study, includes an estimation of the delta forming processes, the impact of the anthropogenic parameters on these processes, and, finally, their representation.

There is a consistent variation in the response of different skeletal muscle groups to mutations in genes known to cause muscular dystrophy, yet these muscles appear histologically similar. To better understand these phenotypic differences, we analyzed gene expression patterns in control muscle specimens obtained from four sites at autopsy: deltoid, quadriceps, gastrocnemius, and tibialis anterior (TA). A total of 35 muscle samples from nine individuals (four pediatric and five geriatric) were studied. Factors potentially influencing gene expression in the different samples included individuality, age, muscle type, gender, cause of death, postmortem interval, and ethnicity. The first three factors, in decreasing order, were found to have a significant impact on the stratification of muscle specimens. A novel analytic method, using a second round of normalization, was used to elicit differences between muscle types. This approach may be extended to a broader survey, potentially elucidating a molecular classification of the skeletal muscles.

We studied viral dynamic parameters in 44 chronic hepatitis B/hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)(-) patients treated with pegylated interferon alfa-2b (PEG-IFN) 100 or 200 microg weekly or lamivudine 100 mg daily or the combination of PEG-IFN 100 or 200 microg with lamivudine. Patients receiving PEG-IFN monotherapy exhibited viral load oscillations between weekly injections, which were resolved by the addition of lamivudine. The median pharmacological delay was estimated at 4.1, 5.8, and 1.8 hours in PEG-IFN monotherapy, PEG-IFN 100/200 microg + lamivudine, and lamivudine monotherapy, respectively (P = .44). The median half-life of free virus was 12.7 hours (range, 2.4-69.2 hours). The mean antiviral effectiveness of PEG-IFN 100/200 microg monotherapy was lower than that of lamivudine (82.6% vs. 96.4%; P = .005). The mean effectiveness of PEG-IFN 100 microg + lamivudine and PEG-IFN 200 microg + lamivudine was 92.8% and 94.4%, respectively. The half-life of infected cells ranged from 2.7 to 75 days. The median half-life of infected cells in patients receiving the combination regimens of PEG-IFN and lamivudine was similar to that of lamivudine patients (5.0 days vs. 6.0 days, P = .77). In conclusion, the addition of pegylated interferon alfa-2b in lamivudine treatment was found to neither enhance the potency of blocking HBV production nor the decay rates of infected cells. Supplementary material for this article can be found on the HEPATOLOGY website (http://www.interscience.wiley.com/jpages/0270-9139/suppmat/index.html).

Kamberidou, Irene & Patsantaras, Nikolaos (2005). Virtual Globalization. Paper and proposals as member of GEAG and Research Group for the Consultation Workshop on Gender and Technology, European Commission, Information Society Directorate-General Miniaturisation, Embedded Systems, Societal Applications, April 22, 2005 Brussels.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RESEARCH GROUP PAPER AND DRAFT PROPOSALS FOR CONSULTATION WORKSHOP ON GENDER AND TECHNOLOGY, BRUSSELS, EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Information Society Directorate-General Miniaturisation, Embedded Systems, Societal Applications , February 12, 2005. Includes Irene Kamberidou's Paper and proposals as member of the Gender Expert Action Group (GEAG) and the Research Group for the next Consultation Workshop on Gender and Technology, European Commission, Information Society Directorate-General Miniaturisation, Embedded Systems, Societal Applications, April 22, 2005 Brussels (DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.3546.7606). Concludes with Irene Kamberidou’s observations and proposals from last Gender & Technology Workshop in Brussels.   Keywords and future directions: Bodiless society, gender-neutral society, gender subject, service society, virtual servitude, information manipulation, electronic surveillance, electronic terrorism, (new) information world order, digital despotism, digital capitalism, information elite, exclusionist technophobia, digital illiteracy, interdisciplinary communication, education, techno-education, integration of women (gender integration), action plan, techno-ethos, techno-ethics.   Everything as we know it today is definitively and ultimately in the process of transformation due to two significant changes in the global scene—the globalization of the economy, aggressive/dynamic competition, and the ‘invasion’ of technology in every area of human-social life, in every sector of public and private activity. Today we are witnessing the creation of “a society of services/ a service society”, as a result of accelerated technological developments, in combination with the globalization of the economy-- a service society, ‘a bodiless society” which is gradually replacing industrial society. The expansion of a new bureaucracy is being promoted, the formulation of units that provide services, and the creation of thousands of specialized employment positions in the distribution and use of new technologies, whose hard nucleus is made up of specific specialized knowledge and know-how, denied to the less-privileged gender subject/citizen. The products of the technological revolution are in reality services—a fact that has foundational consequences on society! We are at a transitional stage, in a transitional period that not only disorganizes and disorientates but also marginalizes the less privileged gender subject, namely an extremely large sector of the population, the majority of the EU population, the non-mainstream social groups. That which was familiar, understood and considered a given is being eradicated, and no longer understood. Due to the high speed disorganization of existing structures the gender subject/citizen is having dramatic difficulty in adapting and comprehending what is going on, and our social system is confronting difficulties in defining the problems and thus providing solutions on how we can get through this transitional period. KEYWORDS: Gender subject/citizen, service society, commercialization, “professionalization”, virtual world order, virtual servitude, digital despotism, virtual elite, future exclusions-technophobia, cultural commonality, commonality of cultures, virtual illiteracy, virtual techno-illiteracy, interdisciplinary communication/research, Education, socio-economic-biocentric rationale, technoethics – technoethos https://pergamos.lib.uoa.gr/uoa/dl/object/2775578  

• Includes Irene Kamberidou’s observations / proposals from last workshop. 
• GEAG (Gender Action Group)

The goal is to visualize a set of multivariate data in such a way that datavectors belonging to different classes (subgroups) appear differentiated as muchas possible. When intending such visualization, the first question should be aboutthe intrinsic dimensionality of the data. The answer may be obtained byevaluating, e.g., the fractal correlation dimension. The projection to a plane isjustified when the correlation dimension of the data is about 2. Only in such casethe performed visualization is plausible to reflect all the between group and thewithin group relationships among the data vectors. There are several recognizedmethods for mapping data to a plane. Our interest lies especially in nonlinearmethods. We consider in detail three methods: The canonical discriminantfunctions, the kernel discriminant functions and the neuroscale mapping. Weillustrate our considerations using the Kefallinia erosion data, where each datavector belongs - in a crisp way – to one of five predefined subgroups indicatingthe severity of the erosion risk. The assignments to the subgroups were performedby an expert GIS system based on logical rules established by experts.

From a sample of 304 carbon stars in the central parts of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), ~27 per cent have Merrill-Sanford (MS) bands of the SiC2 molecule. The data are based on a uniform set of spectra taken with 2dF on the Anglo-Australian Telescope, and give useful statistics on the incidence of MS bands and on their correlation (or otherwise) with other properties. All of these are red stars, cooler than 3100 K. The proportion of stars showing the bands is highest amongst the coolest stars, but not all very cool stars show the bands. There is no evidence that MS bands are more common in J-type stars (carbon stars with a high 13C/12C ratio) than in N-type carbon stars, at least within this sample of LMC stars. There is no apparent correlation with stellar variability, or between the photospheric temperature [as measured by (J-K)] and the occurrence of the 'hot' MS bands from excited molecular states. (2 data files).

We present analysis of all 24 archival raster XMM-Newton (Jansen et al., 2001A&A...365L...1J) observations of M33. (2 data files).

The diagnosis of Waldenström's macroglobulinemia (WM) requires evidence of bone-marrow infiltration by lymphoplasmacytoid lymphoma and detection of serum monoclonal protein of IgM type. The normal counterpart of the WM malignant cell is believed to be a postgerminal-center B cell. The clinical manifestations and laboratory abnormalities associated with WM are related to direct tumor infiltration and to the amount and specific properties of IgM. Asymptomatic patients should be followed without treatment. When treatment is indicated, the three main choices for systemic frontline treatment are chlorambucil, the nucleoside analogues fludarabine or cladribine and the monoclonal antibody rituximab. There is evidence that high-dose therapy with autologous stem-cell transplantation is effective even in patients with advanced and resistant disease. Patient's age, hemoglobin and serum β2-microglobulin before treatment are important prognostic variables which correlate with survival. © 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

We demonstrate the existence of strong Anderson localization in certain disordered phononic systems. As a result, the transmission coefficient of elastic waves through a slab of the material practically vanishes, whatever the angle of incidence, over a region of frequency much wider than the absolute frequency gap of the corresponding ordered system. The phenomenon can be of use in the design of phononic systems with very wide absolute transmission gaps.

Η παρουσίαση της δημοσιευμένης μεταπτυχιακής εργασίας στη Θεολογική Σχολή του Πανεπιστημίου Αθηνών προβάλλει τη σημασία και το ρόλο των δημοσιευμάτων στον Αθηναϊκό Τύπο για τα θέματα της βιοηθικής και της βιοτεχνολογίας.

Ἡ γεωπολιτικὴ σημασία τοῦ ἐθνοθρησκευτικοῦ μωσαϊκοῦ στὸ Νέο Ἰράκ, τὸ ὁποῖον, ἐπανειλημμένως ἔχει ὑποστηρίξει ὁ γράφων κατὰ τὸ παρελθόν (χωρὶς αὐτὸ νὰ σημαίνει ὅτι τὸ ἐπιθυμεῖ), θὰ εἶναι συνομόσπονδο καὶ τριεθνοτικὸ καὶ θὰ ἔχει βαρύνουσα γεωπολιτικὴ σημασία γιὰ τὴν ἐπανακατανομὴ ἰσχύος στὴ Ν/Α Μεσόγειο καὶ δι' αὐτῆς σὲ ὁλόκληρο τὸν πλανήτη. Το παρόν κείμενο αναφέρεται στις γεωπολιτικὲς ὄψεις τοῦ Κουρδικοῦ Ζητήματος στὸ νέο Ἰράκ και στα ερωτήματα που προκύπτουν γιὰ τὴν Ἑλληνικὴ Ἐξωτερικὴ καὶ Ἀμυντικὴ πολιτικὴ.

Η παγκόσμια αθλητική ηγεσία δεν κατόρθωσε να διεκδικήσει αποτελεσματικά την εφαρμογή της εκεχειρίας στο σύγχρονο κόσμο κατά τη διεξαγωγή των Ολυμπιακών Αγώνων, που θα δρούσε ως προστατευτική προμετωπίδα των αγώνων. Επίσης, δεν κατάφερε να προστατεύσει τους αγώνες απ’ την τεράστια εμπορευματοποίηση που, οικειοποιούμενη τα αθλητικά οφέλη, δεν διστάζει να διογκώσει την αθλητική επιτυχία ώστε αυτή να μετατρέπεται σε ελκυστικό καταναλωτικό προϊόν. Ο αθλητισμός, αποτελώντας μια απεικόνιση της κοινωνίας στην οποία ανήκει, αντανακλά την προβληματική της. Το μεγαλύτερο πρόβλημα που αντιμετωπίζει σήμερα ο ολυμπιακός αθλητισμός, η επαπειλούμενη ασφάλεια, είναι ακριβώς το ίδιο που αξιολογείται ως νούμερο ένα στην κλίμακα των ζητημάτων του σύγχρονου κόσμου. Η τρομοκρατία, που δημιουργεί το κλίμα γενικής ανασφάλειας, είναι μια πραγματικότητα των καιρών μας, όπως πραγματικότητα είναι όμως και οι οποιοιδήποτε πολιτικοί λόγοι που γεννούν το φαινόμενο της τρομοκρατίας. Η απόφαση ν’ ανατεθεί η προστασία των Ολυμπιακών Αγώνων του 2004 στο στρατιωτικό πλέγμα του ΝΑΤΟ ήρθε σε πλήρη αντίθεση με το πνεύμα που χαρακτηρίζει τους αγώνες: της ειρήνης, της ισότητας, της συνεργασίας των λαών. Η απόφαση αυτή, όχι μόνο βρίσκεται σε σύγκρουση με τον αυθεντικό χαρακτήρα των αγώνων, αλλά εγκυμονεί και κινδύνους για την επιβίωση του θεσμού. Υπάρχει μια σαφής αντίφαση στο να διεξάγεται μια εκδήλωση που συμβολίζει την ειρήνη υπό την ομπρέλα του πιο ισχυρού στρατιωτικού μηχανισμού- ο οποίος έχει μάλιστα χρεωθεί τις μεγαλύτερες επιθέσεις κατά πληθυσμών τα τελευταία χρόνια, και εναντίον του οποίου έχουν πραγματοποιηθεί οι πολυπληθέστερες αντιπολεμικές διαδηλώσεις σε όλο τον κόσμο. Όχι μόνο δεν θα έπρεπε να εισχωρήσει το ΝΑΤΟ σε μια τέτοιου χαρακτήρα εκδήλωση, αλλά και η ίδια η Αμερική, ως χώρα ευρισκόμενη σε πολεμική διένεξη με το Ιράκ και μ’ άλλες χώρες (Πακιστάν, Αφγανιστάν), θα έπρεπε, σύμφωνα με το μέτρο του αποκλεισμού που ίσχυε κατά την αρχαιότητα, να αποκλειστεί από τους Ολυμπιακούς Αγώνες. Η ανάληψη της ευθύνης των Ολυμπιακών Αγώνων από την Ατλαντική Συμμαχία, δεν περιορίστηκε άλλωστε μόνο στους αγώνες, αλλά νομιμοποιήθηκε το ΝΑΤΟ να επιβλέπει και να ελέγχει επίσημα ολόκληρη την ευρύτερη περιοχή της Μεσογείου. Αν υπάρχει, ωστόσο, κάποιο περιθώριο ν’ αποφορτιστεί ο θεσμός των Ολυμπιακών Αγώνων από το ρόλο του πολιτικού κατασκόπου απαιτούνται σημαντικές παρεμβάσεις. Μια διαφορετική εθνική και διεθνής πολιτική είναι αναγκαίες, ώστε οι μελλοντικοί Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες ν’ αποτελούν ένα αθλητικό συμβόλαιο που θα συμβάλλει στην αποφυγή ενεργειών εμπορικού ή επιθετικού χαρακτήρα, δημιουργώντας μηχανισμούς απομόνωσης απ’ τους αγώνες χωρών και ανθρώπων που οικειοποιούνται το θεσμό για πολιτικούς ή οικονομικούς λόγους. Η μορφή μιας νέας ολυμπιακής εκεχειρίας, θα έδινε έναν αξιόπιστο πολιτικό ρόλο στους αγώνες, ενώ ταυτόχρονα θα τον καθιστούσε θεσμό επικοινωνίας και συνύπαρξης μεταξύ των κοινωνιών. Η καθιέρωση της υποχρεωτικής εκεχειρίας ως προϋπόθεση για τη συμμετοχή στους Ολυμπιακούς Αγώνες, πιθανόν να έδινε τη δυνατότητα στο ολυμπιακό ιδεώδες να διαδραματίσει έναν οικουμενικό ρόλο, αποκτώντας, προς όφελος της ανθρωπότητας, μιαν ειρηνευτική αποστολή και διαπαιδαγωγώντας τις νέες γενιές για τη σπουδαιότητα της ειρηνικής διευθέτησης των διαφορών.

Στο άρθρο παρουσιάζονται με συντομία συμβολές ομιλητών στο συνέδριο στην Ολλανδία (ESF Euroconference, «Biomedicine within the Limits of Existence», Doom Utrecht, Holland, 8-13 Αpril 2005), οι οποίες προσφέρουν αφορμή για προβληματισμό στα σύγχρονα βιοηθικά προβλήματα.

Η προσπάθεια ηθικοποίησης της ολυμπιακής νίκης κατά την αρχαιότητα, σε μια κοινωνία που για πρώτη φορά θέτει όρους ηθικής λειτουργίας των θεσμών, δεν στέφθηκε πάντοτε από επιτυχία. Η για πολιτικούς λόγους εκμετάλλευση της ολυμπιακής επιτυχίας αποτελεί ως εκ τούτου την έκβαση της λειτουργίας μιας κοινωνίας που το πρώτιστο πολιτικό της κύτταρο είναι η «πόλη», καθώς η νίκη υφαρπάζεται από τα χέρια του μεμονωμένου νικητή για να αναχθεί σε καθολική νίκη της πόλης του. Ωστόσο, εκτός από τις αψιμαχίες μεταξύ των πόλεων, ο διακαής πόθος Ολυμπιονικών να καρπωθούν πολιτικά τα οφέλη της νίκης, οδήγησε ενίοτε σε αχαλίνωτες προσωπικές φιλοδοξίες, ή σε δραματικά αποτελέσματα, όπως το απεχθές Κυλώνειον άγος. Η διεκδίκηση της αθλητικής επιτυχίας, ως απόρροια της δίψας για προσωπική ωφέλεια, είναι ένα φαινόμενο που λειτουργεί χωρίς εξαίρεση, γι’ αυτό παρατηρείται το ίδιο συχνά είτε σε έναν τύραννο, ή βασιλιά ή ευγενή της αρχαιότητας, είτε σε έναν κοινό θνητό της σύγχρονης κοινωνίας που επιδιώκει να ξεχωρίσει δια της ολυμπιακής νίκης. Σύμμαχος και συν-διαμορφωτής αυτής της αντίληψης του αθλητή σήμερα είναι συνήθως τα ίδια τα πολιτικά σχήματα, που ως άλλοι χορηγοί και σπόνσορες, παρακολουθούν την επικαιρότητα των αθλητικών επιδόσεων, με σκοπό να αρπάξουν σαν πολεμικό λάφυρο το νικητή, για να τον χρησιμοποιήσουν στον πολιτικό στίβο ως κυνηγό ψήφων. Αυτό όχι μόνο αντίκειται στο ολυμπιακό πνεύμα, επειδή το διαστρεβλώνει, αλλά και έχει ως συνέπεια την υποβάθμιση του πολιτικού διαλόγου και των ηθικών αξιών, καθώς καλλιεργούνται στη νεολαία και στην κοινωνία πρότυπα επιτυχίας αντί για πρότυπα αξίας.

Στο άρθρο αυτό επισημαίνεται ότι επιβάλλεται να καθορίζεται ρητώς ο στόχος και οι αρχές που ακολουθεί κάθε οικογενειακή παροχή, ώστε να ενισχυθούν οι ευπαθείς κοινωνικές ομάδες. Eπισημαίνεται ότι η προστασία των απασχολουμένων στην Ελλάδα για τα οικογενειακά βάρη είναι κοινωνικά άνιση. Οι ελληνικές οικογένειες διακρίνονται σε δύο κατηγορίες: α) Η πρώτη, περιλαμβάνει τους δημόσιους υπαλλήλους και τους μισθωτούς του δημόσιου και του ιδιωτικού τομέα και προστατεύεται από την εργατική νομοθεσία και την κοινωνική ασφάλιση κατά τρόπο που κρίνεται σχετικά ικανοποιητικός. β) Η δεύτερη περιλαμβάνει τους αυτοτελώς απασχολουμένους και τους αγρότες και έχει μειωμένη προστασία σε σχέση με την προηγούμενη, διότι όσοι ανήκουν σε αυτήν απουσιάζουν ελάχιστα από την εργασία τους, επειδή δεν εξασφαλίζονται οι αποδοχές τους κατά τη διάρκεια της απουσίας τους. Οι κοινωνικές αυτές ανισότητες στην Ελλάδα είναι ιδιαίτερα σημαντικές, διότι η πρώτη και η δεύτερη κατηγορία έχουν περίπου ίσο αριθμό εργαζομένων. Η αναλογία αυτή διαφοροποιεί την Ελλάδα από πολλά άλλα κράτη μέλη της Ε.Ε., όπου ο συνολικός αριθμός των μισθωτών είναι πολύ μεγαλύτερος από τον αριθμό των λοιπών ασφαλισμένων. Μία άλλη παράμετρος που εντοπίζεται είναι ότι οι έμμεσα ασφαλισμένοι που στην Ελλάδα στην πλειοψηφία τους είναι γυναίκες και παιδιά δεν έχουν  άμεσο δικαίωμα κατά του ασφαλιστικού οργανισμού να αξιώσουν ατομικά και για λογαριασμό τους τις σχετικές παροχές. Προτείνεται η εκτίμηση της ανάγκης να γίνεται ανά οικογένεια και η είσπραξη της παροχής ατομικά. Επίσης, εξετάζονται τα αντικίνητρα για την απασχόληση των γυναικών που δημιουργεί η ισχύουσα προστασία και κίνητρο για την απασχόληση με συμβάσεις έργου που υποκρύπτουν συμβάσεις εργασίας. Για να δημιουργηθεί ένα συνεκτικό και ισότιμο σύστημα που θα εναρμονίζει την οικογενειακή με την επαγγελματική ζωή προτείνεται η ίδρυση ενιαίου χρηματοδοτούμενου από το Κράτος ταμείου για την κάλυψη των οικογενειακών βαρών.  

When citing/ για παραπομπήΚαμπερίδου, Ειρήνη (2005). Ο Έμφυλος Ηρωισμός του Αθλητισμού, ο ήρωας αθλητής και η αθλήτρια-ηρωίδα: το ανθρώπινο εμπόριο της ψυχαγωγίας και του θεάματος. Η Κοινωνική Εικόνα της Αθλήτριας.  Κεφάλαιο στις Πανεπιστημιακές Σημειώσεις του Σεμιναρίου Εδικών Θεμάτων «Άσκηση-Ευρωστία-Υγεία» της Επικ. Καθηγήτριας Μ. Μαριδάκη, σελ. 1-11. Ακαδημαϊκό έτος 2004-2005,   Τ.Ε.Φ.Α.Α. του Εθνικού και Καποδιστριακού Πανεπιστημίου Αθηνών.  DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.1389.9601 

• Kamberidou, Irene (2005). Gendered Heroism: sport heroes and heroines. (in Greek)  DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.1389.9601

Στην εργασία αυτή παρουσιάζουμε, σε θεματικές, σημαντικές απόψεις του Piaget για την εκπαίδευση και την παιδαγωγική, ένα θέμα στο οποίο δεν έχει δοθεί η απαιτούμενη προσοχή. Αναφέρονται και σχολιάζονται οι απόψεις του για τη σχέση μάθησης-ανάπτυξης, παιδαγωγικής-ψυχολογίας, για την αναγκαιότητα της γνώσης από τον εκπαιδευτικό της ψυχολογίας του παιδιού, για το περιεχόμενο της μάθησης και τα είδη της γνώσης, για τις διαδικασίες προαγωγής της μάθησης, για την ομαδική-συνεργατική μάθηση, για το παιχνίδι, για τη σχέση της γνωστικής με την ηθική εκπαίδευση, για την αυτοδιακυβέρνηση και την αλληλεγγύη, καθώς και για τη διεθνή παιδεία ως παιδεία της ελευθερίας και της ειρήνης. Επισημαίνεται η διαχρονική και ιδιαίτερα επίκαιρη αξία των ιδεών αυτών του Piaget.

Στην εργασία αυτή ανασκοπούνται κριτικά τα ευρήματα της διεθνούς βιβλιογραφίας για την πρόληψη και αντιμετώπιση της μοναξιάς του παιδιού και του εφήβου, ιδίως στο σχολικό πλαίσιο. Μέχρι σήμερα, δεν υπάρχει μια τέτοια ανασκόπηση, ο αριθμός των σχετικών ερευνών είναι μικρός και δεν έχει ελεγχθεί εμπειρικά η αποτελεσματικότητα των αντίστοιχων σχολικών παρεμβάσεων. Ειδικότερα, αποσαφηνίζονται εννοιολογικά οι επιμέρους μορφές μοναξιάς και ανασκοπούνται ευρήματα για τη σχέση του εκπαιδευτικού με τη μοναξιά των μαθητών του και τις αντίστοιχες σχολικές παρεμβάσεις. Εντοπίζονται κενά και προτείνονται οδοί περαιτέρω ερευνητικής ενασχόλησης με το θέμα.

Το παρόν κείμενο αποτελέι πρόλογο του Καθηγητή Ἰ.Θ. Μάζη στὸ τεῦχος 7, του επιστημονικού περιοδικού "Γεωστρατηγικη", του Ινστιτούτου Αμυντικών Αναλύσεων (ΙΑΑ).

Τὸ φαινόμενο τῆς τρομοκρατίας, ἰδωμένο στὴν γεωγραφική, τὴν πολιτική, τὴν θρησκευτικὴ καὶ τὴν πολιτισμική του διάσταση, τυγχάνει πολλῶν ὁρισμῶν. Καὶ τοῦτο, διότι στὸν ἀντίποδά της, δηλαδὴ στὴν θεωρία καὶ τὴν πράξη τῆς ἀντιμετωπίσεως τοῦ φαινομένου τῆς τρομοκρατίας καὶ τῶν συνεπειῶν του, ὑπεισέρχεται, ἀναμφιβόλως, ἡ ἔννοια τοῦ Συμφέροντος, ἐθνικοῦ ἢ καὶ ὑπερεθνικοῦ, ἡ ἀντίληψις τοῦ ὁποίου διαφοροποιεῖ, ἐν τέλει, τὸν προσδιορισμὸν τῆς ἰδίας τῆς ἔννοιας τῆς τρομοκρατίας. Το παρόν κείμενο αναλύει τα αἴτια τῆς τρομοκρατίας καὶ τις δυνατότητες αναιρέσεώς της.