Publications by Year: 2009

Using a fully self-consistent envelope function approach, we focus on wide conduction band NMS (non-magnetic semiconductor)/DMS (dilute magnetic semiconductor)/NMS quantum wells, under weak external parallel magnetic field, where many spin-subbands are usually present. We concentrate on small values of the magnetic field because we want to investigate the influence of the feedback mechanism due to the difference of the concentrations of spin-up and spin-down carriers which could induce spontaneous spin-polarization i.e. in the absence of a magnetic field. We study the spin-subband structure, the spin-subband populations and the spin-polarization as functions of the sheet carrier concentration, Ns, for different values of the magnitude of the exchange interaction, | J |, between the itinerant carriers and the magnetic impurities. Our calculations for 0.01 T show that at 20 K the values of | J | necessary to make this feedback mechanism sufficiently strong are too high compared to the | J | values of common Mn-doped systems in the conduction band. However, the feedback mechanism will be sufficiently strong at low enough temperatures below 20 K for realistic values of | J |. Moreover, we explain how increasing the sheet carrier concentration the heterostructure is transformed from an almost square quantum well to a system of two coupled heterojunctions with an intermediate soft barrier.

In this study, the distribution patterns of physical (sand%, loam%, clay%, pH and organic matter%o) and chemical (calcium carbonate (CaCO3), sodium (Na+), magnesium (Mg+2), phosphorus (P), boron (B), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn)) parameters of soil commonly assayed in analytical chemistry laboratories, are reported. Three representative areas (lowland (LL), semi-mountainous (SM), and coastal (C)) and 170 sample sites were selected, 510 soil samples were collected and analyzed for a 3-years period (2002-2004), in the prefecture of Larissa, Thessaly, central Greece. In each studied site, the kind of cultivation is also reported. Soils in LL area of the prefecture of Larissa were found to be rich in organic matter, Mg, B, but poor in Fe, Mn and Zn, when compared to the other two sites. The studied SM area of Larissa's prefecture constituted from clayey soils showed big concentrations of Mg, Zn, high value of clay and low value of sand, when compared to the other two studied areas. The studied C area is characterized by the sandy soils near the coastal areas of the prefecture of Larissa. In each studied area, the parameters are principally separated into two main clusters, each of them divided additionally into sub-clusters with slight differences. Six latent factors explain 78.1%, 74.3%, and 74.6% of the total variance of the LL-site, SM-site, and C-site, respectively, which is an indication for the factor analysis model adequacy.

Aims: Drawing an analogy with active galactic nuclei, we investigate the one-zone synchrotron self-compton (SSC) model of gamma ray bursts (GRB) afterglows in the presence of electron injection and cooling both by synchrotron and SSC losses. Methods: We solve the spatially averaged kinetic equations which describe the simultaneous evolution of particles and photons, obtaining the multi-wavelength spectrum as a function of time. We back up our numerical calculations with analytical solutions of the equations using various profiles of the magnetic field evolution under certain simplifying assumptions. Results: We apply the model to the afterglow evolution of GRBs in a uniform density environment and examine the impact various parameters have on the multiwavelength spectra. We find that in cases where the electron injection and/or the ambient density is high, the losses are dominated by SSC and the solutions depart significantly from the ones derived in the synchrotron standard cases.

Aims: Drawing an analogy with active galactic nuclei, we investigate the one-zone synchrotron self-compton (SSC) model of gamma ray bursts (GRB) afterglows in the presence of electron injection and cooling both by synchrotron and SSC losses. Methods: We solve the spatially averaged kinetic equations which describe the simultaneous evolution of particles and photons, obtaining the multi-wavelength spectrum as a function of time. We back up our numerical calculations with analytical solutions of the equations using various profiles of the magnetic field evolution under certain simplifying assumptions. Results: We apply the model to the afterglow evolution of GRBs in a uniform density environment and examine the impact various parameters have on the multiwavelength spectra. We find that in cases where the electron injection and/or the ambient density is high, the losses are dominated by SSC and the solutions depart significantly from the ones derived in the synchrotron standard cases.

The muscle LIM protein (MLP) and cofilin 2 (CFL2) are important regulators of striated myocyte function. Mutations in the corresponding genes have been directly associated with severe human cardiac and skeletal myopathies, and aberrant expression patterns have often been observed in affected muscles. Herein, we have investigated whether MLP and CFL2 are involved in common molecular mechanisms, which would promote our understanding of disease pathogenesis. We have shown for the first time, using a range of biochemical and immunohistochemical methods, that MLP binds directly to CFL2 in human cardiac and skeletal muscles. The interaction involves the inter-LIM domain, amino acids 94 to 105, of MLP and the amino-terminal domain, amino acids 1 to 105, of CFL2, which includes part of the actin depolymerization domain. The MLP/CFL2 complex is stronger in moderately acidic (pH 6.8) environments and upon CFL2 phosphorylation, while it is independent of Ca(2+) levels. This interaction has direct implications in actin cytoskeleton dynamics in regulating CFL2-dependent F-actin depolymerization, with maximal depolymerization enhancement at an MLP/CFL2 molecular ratio of 2:1. Deregulation of this interaction by intracellular pH variations, CFL2 phosphorylation, MLP or CFL2 gene mutations, or expression changes, as observed in a range of cardiac and skeletal myopathies, could impair F-actin depolymerization, leading to sarcomere dysfunction and disease.

The aim of this study was to investigate changes in shot put performance, muscular power, and neuromuscular activation of the lower extremities, between the preseason and the competition period, in skilled shot put athletes using the rotational technique. Shot put performance was assessed at the start of the pre-season period as well as after 12 weeks, at the competition period, in nine shot putters. Electromyographic (EMG) activity of the right vastus lateralis muscle was recorded during all shot put trials. Maximum squat strength (1RM) and mechanical parameters during the countermovement jump (CMJ) on a force platform were also determined at pre-season and at competition period. Shot put performance increased 4.7% (p < 0.05), while 1RM squat increased 6.5% (p < 0.025). EMG activity during the delivery phase was increased significantly (p < 0.025) after the training period. Shot put performance was significantly related with muscular power and takeoff velocity during the CMJ, at competition period (r = 0.66, p < 0.05 and 0.70, p < 0.05), but not with maximum vertical force. One RM squat was not related significantly with shot put performance. These results suggest that muscular power of the lower extremities is a better predictor of rotational shot put performance than absolute muscular strength in skilled athletes, at least during the competition period.

A combined study of extant nannoflora (calcareous nannoplankton/coccolithophores) and microfauna (ostracods, benthic foraminifera) was conducted in summer period between 2001 and 2003 at Kastro and Korthi gulfs, Andros Island (central Aegean Sea). The results of our study showed that the studied three groups can provide evidence of stress on the natural assemblages and therefore can be used as proxies of declining coastal environments. In particular, the existence of coccolithophore communities with low species diversities, high dominance values and the predominance of Emiliania huxleyi with malformed coccoliths indicate unstable environmental conditions. The environmental stress in ostracod assemblages is mainly proved by the decreasing abundances of Xestoleberis spp. specimens. The response of benthic foraminifers was demonstrated by the increase of foraminiferal tests with morphological abnormalities and the replacement of Amphistegina lobifera – an environmental health proxy- by miliolids and small rotalliid forms.

Dialysis-related amyloidosis is related to the inefficient removal of beta(2)-microglobulin (beta(2)-m) that is mainly responsible for the formation of amyloid fibrils deposited on the joints and in the heart, blood vessels and digestive system. Magnetically assisted hemodialysis (MAHD) can be used for the prevention of dialysis-related amyloidosis. MAHD is based on ferromagnetic nanoparticle-targeted binding substance conjugates (FN-TBS Cs) that should be administered to the patient before the dialysis session. The TBS should have a high affinity for beta(2)-m so that the conjugates bind with the beta(2)-m in the bloodstream. The complex FN-TBS-beta(2)-m will be selectively removed during dialysis by means of a "magnetic dialyzer" that is installed at the dialysis machine in series to the conventional dialyzer. We have examined the in vitro applicability of MAHD by employing biocompatible Fe3O4 and bovine serum albumin (BSA) as constituents of the FN-TBS Cs. We evaluated the binding capacity of both bare Fe3O4 FNs and Fe3O4-BSA Cs for beta(2)-m concentrations ranging from mild to severe conditions. Finally, we conducted mock-dialysis experiments for the evaluation of several technical issues related to MAHD. beta(2)-m is adsorbed onto the Fe3O4-BSA Cs not only almost instantly, but also very efficiently. The employed Cs do not chemically interact with the materials used in standard dialyzers, as agglomerates were not observed in the capillaries of the conventional dialyzers. MAHD may become an efficient modality for the prevention of dialysis-related amyloidosis because beta(2)-m concentrations ranging from mild to severe conditions can be adequately handled.

We present a thorough theoretical study of the optical properties of periodic structures built of silver and silica nanodisks in a sandwich-like configuration, by means of full electrodynamic calculations using the extended layer-multiple-scattering method. The strong coupling of the metallic nanoparticles and the resulting plasmon hybridization lead to collective electric and magnetic resonant modes, which can be tuned by changing the structural parameters, such as nanoparticle size and lattice constant. We analyze the response of single- and multi-layer architectures of ordered arrays of such nanosandwiches on a dielectric substrate to externally incident light and evaluate the corresponding effective permittivity and permeability functions. Our results reveal the existence of optical magnetism, with a strong negative effective permeability over a tunable spectral range at near-infrared and visible frequencies. We introduce the complex photonic band structure as a tool in the study of three-dimensional metamaterials and establish additional criteria for the validity of their effective-medium description. Our work demonstrates the efficiency of the recently developed extended layer-multiple-scattering method in the study of metamaterials of composite metal-dielectric particles of arbitrary shape.

The reaction of Ir(COD)(Tai) [where Tai = {HB(7-azaindoyl) 3}-] with carbon monoxide results, via a sequence of hydride migration and insertion steps, in the formation of the first complexes to contain a metal-to-boron dative interaction supported by 7-azaindole units. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2009.

We report the discovery of a possible nova in M 31 on two 10x60s stacked unfiltered CCD images obtained a 40-cm Cassegrain telescope with a focal reducer (F/5.1) equipped with a 2184 x 1472 pixel ST-10XME CCD camera (pixel size 6.8 microns square) at the Athens University Observatory, Greece on 2009 June 30.045 UT and July 1.049 UT with magnitudes of 17.7 and 17.5, respectively. The position of the nova candidate is RA = 00h42m10.36s, Dec = +41o12'19.9" (J2000, accuracy 0.3"), which is 383" west and 229" south of the core of M 31.

In this issue of Blood, Bartel and colleagues report the independent predictive value of the PET/CT and of the FDG suppression before transplantation in newly diagnosed myeloma patients who were treated using the TT3 regimen.

Enlarging-shrinking geometrical figures by 13 year-olds is studied during the implementation of proportional geometric tasks in the classroom. Students worked in groups of two using ‘Turtleworlds’, a piece of geometrical construction software which combines symbolic notation, through a programming language, with dynamic manipulation of geometrical objects by dragging on sliders representing variable values. In this paper we study the students’ normalising activity, as they use this kind of dynamic manipulation to modify ‘buggy’ geometrical figures while developing meanings for ratio and proportion. We describe students’ normative actions in terms of four distinct Dynamic Manipulation Schemes (Reconnaissance, Correlation, Testing, Verification). We discuss the potential of dragging for mathematical insight in this particular computational environment, as well as the purposeful nature of the task which sets up possibilities for students to appreciate the utility of proportional relationships.

In this paper we introduce the incorporation of magneto-electric materials into antenna design and the potential of controlling the behavior of the antenna by means of an external magnetic field. After an intensive study of magneto-electric material properties, a ferrimagnetic compound called Yttrium Iron Garnet (YIG) was found to be the best candidate for the novel antenna design. We provide a metamaterial patch antenna design where a part of the substrate is replaced by the YIG compound. After several design modifications the final model includes a circular-shaped YIG substrate just under the metallic patch and offers sufficient performance in terms of resonance, bandwidth and radiation efficiency. Additionally, in the presence of an external magnetic field the polarization becomes elliptical and the sense of the polarization (left or right) can be controlled through the direction of the magnetic field. That latter characteristic confirms the metamaterial-nature of the antenna.

Relativistic electrons (with energies >150 keV) which originate in the outer radiation belt and detected by the Russian 'Meteor' series of satellites have been correlated with the atmospheric total ozone data compiled by almost 90 stations located around the world within the latitude zone 40°-70°N. In more than 60% of the stations examined we have detected a clear decrease of the ozone 3-5 days after the electron flux excess. A numerical model has been applied to approximate this effect based on relativistic electron initiated nitric oxides creation in the upper mesosphere with subsequent atmospheric transport (both vertical and horizontal) towards the upper stratosphere. A first attempt of local and temporal prediction of ozone depletion because of energetic electrons impact in the middle atmosphere has been illustrated. © 2008 COSPAR.

Recent observations by the H.E.S.S. collaboration of the Galactic Centre region have revealed what appears to be γ-ray emission from the decay of pions produced by interactions of recently accelerated cosmic rays with local molecular hydrogen clouds. Synthesizing a 3D hydrogen cloud map from the available data and assuming a diffusion coefficient of the form κ(E) = κ0(E/E0)δ, we performed Monte Carlo simulations of cosmic ray diffusion for various propagation times and values of κ0 and δ. By fitting the model γ-ray spectra to the observed one we were able to infer the value of the diffusion coefficient in that environment (κ = 3.0 ± 0.2 kpc2 Myr-1 for E = 1012.5 eV and for total propagation time 104 yr) as well as the source spectrum (2.1 ⩽ γ ⩽ 2.3). Also, we found that proton losses can be substantial, which justifies our approach to the problem.

We discuss the optical properties metal nanoforests - a composite metamaterial in which silver nanowires are aligned inside a finite-thickness dielectric host medium. Using finite-element modelling and a self-consistent extraction of effective-medium parameters, we find that this structure can enable an effective optical diamagnetic response that is orders of magnitude stronger compared to that of naturally occurring diamagnetic materials. Our analysis reveals that there is a frequency region where the nanoforest exhibits strong diamagnetic response while simultaneously allowing for high transmission of incident electromagnetic waves. Our analysis shows that the phenomena are robust to the presence of disorder, in the occurrence of which it can still facilitate high figure-of-merit diamagnetic responses. © 2009 SPIE.

We present a large sample (20 in total) of optical spectra of Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) High-Mass X-ray Binaries obtained with the 2dF spectrograph at the Anglo-Australian Telescope. All of these sources are found to be Be/X-ray binaries (Be-XRBs), while for five sources we present original classifications. Several statistical tests on this expanded sample support previous findings for similar spectral-type distributions of Be-XRBs and Be field stars in the SMC, and of Be-XRBs in the Large Magellanic Cloud and the Milky Way, although this could be the result of small samples. On the other hand, we find that Be-XRBs follow a different distribution than Be stars in the Galaxy, also in agreement with previous studies. In addition, we find similar Be spectral-type distributions between the Magellanic Clouds samples. These results reinforce the relation between the orbital period and the equivalent width of the Hα line that holds for Be-XRBs. SMC Be stars have larger Hα equivalent widths when compared to Be-XRBs, supporting the notion of circumstellar disk truncation by the compact object.

The Aegean Sea covers an area of some 160??103 km2 and receives the water/sediment fluxes from a mountainous drainage basin of >200??103 km2. On the basis of its morphodynamic characteristics, the Aegean Basin could be divided into: (1) the North Aegean Sea, an elongated region (trending between N50?? and N70??) including the extensive northern shelves and the Deep Aegean Trough; (2) the Central Aegean, which includes: the Cyclades Plateau, a relatively shallow (average depth <350 m) submerged platform, surrounded by small basins (up to 1000 m depth), including also the relatively extended eastern shelf of Asia Minor, and (3) the Southern Aegean Sea, located southwards of the Hellenic volcanic arc, which presents the characteristics of a true back-arc basin (the Cretan Sea). The surficial unconsolidated sediments of the north Aegean floor are dominated by the terrigenous component (from 50% up to >90%) due to the large terrigenous riverine fluxes. The South Aegean presents high percentages (>50%) of biogenic material, due to the small terrigenous inputs and despite the fact that it is more oligotrophic than the North Aegean. The Central Aegean presents a transitional character with the terrigenous influxes being imported along its eastern part and quantitatively being in between those of the North and South Aegean Sea sub-regions. The coarse-grained materials in shallow (shelf) areas are attributed to 'relict' deposits, while those in large water depths are almost exclusively biogenic products. The offshore distribution of the fine-grained terrigenous material is dominated by the overall circulation pattern, while meso-scale eddies may, locally, either enhance (anticyclones) or reduce (cyclones) settling rates. Moreover, the spatial distribution of the predominant clay minerals (illite and smectite) and of kaolinite and chlorite is governed by the lithology and proximity to land source areas, the water circulation and the processes of differential settling and flocculation. Overall, the North Aegean is characterised by sedimentation processes similar to those of a 'continental margin', primarily neritic and secondarily hemipelagic, the Central Aegean region mostly by hemipelagic and the South Aegean, behaving more like an 'oceanic margin', mostly by pelagic processes. ?? 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

AIMS: To compare the treatment and outcomes of myocardial infarction patients in hospitals with and without catheterization laboratory. METHODS AND RESULTS: The Hellenic Infarction Observation Study was a countrywide registry of acute myocardial infarction, conducted during 2005-2006. The registry enrolled 1840 patients with myocardial infarction from 31 hospitals with a proportional representation of all types of hospitals and of all geographical areas. Out of these patients, 645 (35%) were admitted in 11 hospitals with and 1195 (65%) in 20 hospitals without catheterization laboratory. Patients admitted in hospitals with catheterization laboratory in comparison with patients admitted in hospitals without were younger (66+/-14 vs. 68+/-13, P<0.004) with less diabetes (27 vs. 33%, P<0.001), but without other baseline differences (female 27 vs. 25%, prior myocardial infarction 20 vs. 17%, Killip class>1 22 vs. 23%). Reperfusion rates for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction were 67% (43% lytic, 24% primary percutaneous coronary interventions) versus 56% (55% lytic, 1% percutaneous coronary interventions; P<0.01). In-hospital outcomes in hospitals with versus in hospitals without laboratory were: mortality 6.5 versus 8.3% (NS), stroke 2.2 versus 1.1% (NS), major bleeding 1.1 versus 0.6% (NS), and heart failure 11 versus 16% (P<0.01). In multivariate regression analysis, being admitted in a hospital without catheterization laboratory was not an independent predictor of increased in-hospital mortality (odds ratio=1.18, 95% confidence interval: 0.72-1.93, P=0.505). CONCLUSION: Although the majority of acute myocardial infarction patients was admitted in hospitals without catheterization laboratory, these patients do not have a survival disadvantage, provided they are treated with lytic therapy, medical secondary prevention drugs, and eventual revascularization according to current guidelines.

This chapter examines overreaction hypothesis in four emerging Balkan stock markets (Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Turkey), using average returns of four developed markets (US, UK, Germany and Greece), during the period 2000-2007. The hypothesis tested is that developed market movements create overreaction to Balkan ones. We apply the Dimson’s (1979) aggregated coefficients method upon the conventional market model and an asymmetric non-linear smooth-transition generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (ANST –GARCH) model. The findings provide evidence on accepting the overreaction hypothesis in Balkan markets and on excess volatility with asymmetric mean reversion patterns. The findings also support that a “momentum” portfolio strategy is the most appropriate for exceptional returns in emerging Balkan markets.

AIM: To describe overweight and obese adolescents and to determine any correlations between an adolescent's body mass index (BMI) with personal (age, gender), lifestyle (sedentary/sport activities, smoking status) and parental (smoking status, BMI, number of cars) characteristics. METHODS: Cross-sectional data on weight, height and various characteristics from 2008 Greek adolescents (12- to 17-year olds, 50.85% boys), measured in 2005-2007, were used. RESULTS: Almost 1 in 5 (19.2%) boys and 1 in 7 (13.2%) girls 12-17 years of age were overweight while 4.4% of the boys and 1.7% of the girls were obese. The adolescents' age, mother's smoking status, father's and mother's BMI predicted boys' and girls' BMI (b = 0.551, 0.203, 0.110, 0.495 for boys, b = 0.233, 0.187, 0.180, 0.531 for girls, respectively, p < or = 0.05). Univariate analysis revealed that television watching/using personal computer/playing video games and playtime were not correlated with BMI, while an inverse association of exercising for > or = 5 h/week and BMI was found in both boys and girls (b =-1.098, -0.528, p = 0.005, 0.004 respectively). CONCLUSION: The results of our study underline the high prevalence of obesity during adolescence in Greece. Age and parental unhealthy behaviour (increased BMI and maternal smoking status) were positive predictors of increased BMI of adolescents in both genders.

Precipitating electrons from the radiation belts with energies greater than from 150 keV to 5 MeV have been correlated with ozone data of a large number of stations located within 40-70Β° N. Energetic electrons have been collected by the low altitude polar Russian satellite METEOR while ozone data have been compiled from almost ninety (90) stations located all over the world within the latitude zone 40-70Β° N. In more than 60% of the stations examined, we detect a clear decrease of the ozone variation during and after the occurrence of an electron flux excess, which recovers within 3-5 days. The more northern is a station located, the deeper is the ozone decrease. Moreover, clear evidence that the solar cycle affects ozone destruction through energetic electron events is presented. The preliminary results of the present work stimulate a future attempt for a simple ozone destruction mechanism formulation, which could describe atomic nitrogen ionization by energetic electrons, which in the following merge to atomic oxygen and produce nitrogen oxides. Finally, nitrogen oxides destruct ozone creating characteristic decreases on the normal ozone variation. Β© 2008 COSPAR.

Precipitating electrons from the radiation belts with energies greater than from 150 keV to 5 MeV have been correlated with ozone data of a large number of stations located within 40-70° N. Energetic electrons have been collected by the low altitude polar Russian satellite METEOR while ozone data have been compiled from almost ninety (90) stations located all over the world within the latitude zone 40-70° N. In more than 60% of the stations examined, we detect a clear decrease of the ozone variation during and after the occurrence of an electron flux excess, which recovers within 3-5 days. The more northern is a station located, the deeper is the ozone decrease. Moreover, clear evidence that the solar cycle affects ozone destruction through energetic electron events is presented. The preliminary results of the present work stimulate a future attempt for a simple ozone destruction mechanism formulation, which could describe atomic nitrogen ionization by energetic electrons, which in the following merge to atomic oxygen and produce nitrogen oxides. Finally, nitrogen oxides destruct ozone creating characteristic decreases on the normal ozone variation. © 2008 COSPAR.

Precipitating electrons from the radiation belts with energies greater than from 150 keV to 5 MeV have been correlated with ozone data of a large number of stations located within 40-70° N. Energetic electrons have been collected by the low altitude polar Russian satellite METEOR while ozone data have been compiled from almost ninety (90) stations located all over the world within the latitude zone 40-70° N. In more than 60% of the stations examined, we detect a clear decrease of the ozone variation during and after the occurrence of an electron flux excess, which recovers within 3-5 days. The more northern is a station located, the deeper is the ozone decrease. Moreover, clear evidence that the solar cycle affects ozone destruction through energetic electron events is presented. The preliminary results of the present work stimulate a future attempt for a simple ozone destruction mechanism formulation, which could describe atomic nitrogen ionization by energetic electrons, which in the following merge to atomic oxygen and produce nitrogen oxides. Finally, nitrogen oxides destruct ozone creating characteristic decreases on the normal ozone variation. © 2008 COSPAR.

«Ἡ πατερικὴ σκέψη στὸ ἔργο τοῦ Ἰουστίνου Πόποβιτς», Ἀναζητήσας Εὑρέ. Μελέτες Ἐκκλησιαστικῆς Γραμματείας, ἐκδ. Gutenberg, Ἀθήνα 2019, σελ. 248-256

The study area of St. Georgios coastal zone is located at the W coast of Naxos, the largest island of Cycladic plateau. The city of Naxos, located approximately 2.5 km from St. Georgios, is believed to be inhabitant since the early Cycladic period 5000 years ago. Archaeological evidence from Mycenaean times indicate the presence of a port whose remains along with a coastal road are found today underwater to a depth of about 2 m. In a distance of approximately 1.5 km from St. Georgios the archaeological site of the four temples of Yria, dedicated to god Dionysus, is situated. The first of the four temples is dating in the 8th century BC, while the last one in the 1st century AC. Moreover in Stelida area, adjacent to St. Georgios coastal zone, the existence of an ancient quarry is significant for the understanding of the palaeoenvironment of this area as well as the connection between these two archaeological sites. For the purposes of this study detailed geomorphological mapping, micropaleontological, sedimentological and dating analyses of the late Holocene coastal zone were conducted. The study of sea-land interactions during Upper Holocene, in relation to the eustatic sea level oscillations, as well as the geomorphologic observations and analysis on deposited sediments, aims to reveal the palaeo-geographic evolution of the landscape and its impact on the archaeological sites. To obtain information about the Holocene stratigraphy under the recent alluvial cover, four boreholes followed the detailed geomorphological mapping. The microfaunal (benthic foraminifera) analysis took place and ten samples of plants, shells, peat and charred material were also collected from several layers of the sedimentary sequence and were dated using AMS and conventional radiocarbon techniques providing temporal control of the sediments. In this study the tracing of the palaeo-shorelines and sea level changes and their effect to the palaeo-environment in the western Naxos are attempted. Sea level rise along with sea-land interactions to the landscape evolution and the transgression of sea in 6144 BP have been verified.

The Cycladic islands are located in the central Aegean Sea (Greece) forming a partly submerged plateau separated into two parts: the eastern shallower one (Andros, Tinos, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Syros, Ios, Sikinos, Folegandros) which formed one big island (6.978 km2) at the end of the last glacial period; the western islands (Kea, Kythnos, Serifos, Sifnos, Milos) which remained separated during the same period. The eastern islands constitute an erosional plateau which is the end product of a Neogene palaeosurface that was partially submerged due to thinning of the crust during the Quaternary. The presence of numerous Neolithic sites both on land and submerged indicates the existence of an advanced civilization in the area for thousands of years. The location of the lost Atlantis could be found in this area probably between Naxos, Paros and Antiparos.

Obesity and insulin resistance have been implicated in the etiology of pancreatic cancer (PC). Whether adiponectin and/or leptin, two adipocyte-secreted hormones important in metabolic regulation, are associated with PC pathogenesis and whether adiponectin receptors are expressed in PC remains unknown. In a hospital-based case-control study, we studied 81 cases with incident, histologically confirmed PC and 81 controls matched on gender and age between 2000 and 2007 to investigate the role of adiponectin and leptin adjusting for risk factors linked to PC. In a separate study, we also studied for the first time whether adiponectin receptors 1 and 2 are expressed in PC by studying 16 PC tumor tissue samples which were analyzed using immunohistochemistry. When subjects were divided into control-defined quartiles of adiponectin and leptin, lower leptin but higher adiponectin levels were associated with PC (p = 0.001 and p = 0.05 respectively) before and after controlling for age, gender, BMI, smoking status, alcohol consumption, history of diabetes, and family history of pancreatic cancer. Of the PC tumor tissue samples analyzed, 87.5% had positive or strong positive expression of AdipoR1 and 93.7% had positive or strong positive expression of AdipoR2. Further prospective studies are needed to determine whether the elevated adiponectin and low leptin levels reported in this study reflect compensatory changes during PC progression and thus can be used as markers for PC or whether they are causally implicated in PC.

Humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy (HHM) is a metabolic phenomenon that is mediated by the paraneoplastic secretion of parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP). Gynecologic malignant neoplasms complicated by HHM have been reported for organs such as the uterus, cervix, ovary, vulva and the vagina. The purpose of our study was to perform a review of the published cases in the literature and, further, to identify parameters with effect on outcome. Among 34 women with gynecologic neoplasms, 22 suffered from ovarian and 6 from uterine malignancies, while 3 had vulvar and another 3 cervical cancer. Furthermore, clear cell carcinoma was the predominant histology associated with PTH-rP expression. A significant correlation was found between serum calcium and PTH-rP levels. Treatment of hypercalcemia was successful in all cases; pamidronate was utilized in 8 patients. Ovarian cancer patients with severe hypercalcemia and high PTH-rP serum levels had shorter survival compared to their counterparts with mild hypercalcemia or moderately elevated PTH-rP serum levels, but the differences were not statistically significant. Copyright © 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.

The Aegean wall lizard Podarcis erhardii, is widely distributed across the islands of the Aegean Sea (Greece). While there exists a relatively substantial body of knowledge on the ecology and life history of the species, the parasite communities of the taxon remain almost completely unknown. Quantifying the composition of these communities in P. erhardii is not only important for autoecological reasons, but also because inter-island comparisons of this lizard's parasite communities can shed light on the factors that structure parasite diversity in general. Here we investigate the gastrointestinal parasite communities of P. erhardii populations occurring on 16 landbridge islands of the Sporades group in the NW Aegean Sea by examining the gastrointestinal tracts of 113 lizards. In all, 8 species of helminths were found: 1 Trematode (Paradistomum mutabile), 1 Cestode (Oochoristica sp.) and 6 Nematodes (Parapharyngodon micipsae, Parapharyngodon bulbosus, Parapharyngodon echinatus, Spauligodon sp., Abbreviata sp., and Skrjabinelazia sp.). The prevalence, mean intensity, and mean abundance of infection were respectively 63.71%; 6.01 (±11.71; range 1-90); and 3.57 (±9.5; range 0-90). Brillouin's index of diversity for the Sporades was 0.048 (±0.13; range 0-0.142). These values were lower than for most other mainland and insular lacertid populations, and suggest that the investigated island populations harbor very depauperate helminth communities. The severe impoverishment of the parasite communities and the differential persistence of generalist parasite species with simple life cycles is most likely the result of a combination of insular environmental conditions (spatial and temporal isolation, arid climate, small host population sizes) and host life history characteristics (diet, simple gastrointestinal tract architecture). The paucity of parasites in these relictual island populations suggests that small reptile populations fragmented by anthropogenic activities may not be able to sustain their native parasite communities over the long term. © 2009 Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden.

The present contribution deals with the natural environment of Paros island coastal zone. More than 75% of the coastal zone consists of high and lower cliffs, whilst the relatively flat coastal plains are rare. The island receives a substantial amount of wave energy flux. The largest rocky and of high slopes coastal part is situated at the northeast and northwest part of the island being developed on hard (resistant to weathering processes) metamorphic rocks. Coastal plains (slopes < 2.5%) have been formed on Quaternary clastic formations. Furthermore, sandy and/or pebbly beach zones have been formed by the deposition of terrigenous (mainly) and marine sediments, along relatively sheltered from the wave activity parts of the coastline, i.e. the bays of Drios, Kephalos, Plastiras, Piso Livadi and Alikes. Palaeogeographic reconstruction with respect to sea-level rise within Holocene reveals that Paros island, at 10.000 yr BP, was much larger (some 1.025 km2) combined with the islands of Antiparos, Naxos and several islets, while at 6.000 yr BP was only connected to Antiparos island covering 264.3 km2. Finally, the predicted ca. 0.5 m of sea level rise for the year 2100, due to climatic change, will definitely threaten the socio-economy of the island as all touristic beaches will be deteriorated as well as several  onstructions along its coastline.

Osteolytic bone disease is a frequent complication of multiple myeloma, resulting in skeletal complications that are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. It is the result of increased activity of osteoclasts that is not followed by reactive bone formation by osteoblasts. Recent studies have revealed novel molecules and pathways that are implicated in osteoclast activation and osteoblast inhibition, including the RANKL/osteoprotegerin pathway, macrophage inflammatory proteins and the wingless type signaling pathway. These molecules also appear to interfere with tumor growth and survival, providing possible targets for the development of novel drugs for the management of lytic disease in myeloma. Currently, bisphosphonates are the mainstay of treatment for myeloma bone disease, although several novel agents appear promising. This review focuses on recent advances in understanding the biology of bone disease in multiple myeloma, diagnosis and recent progress in treatment options. © 2009 Expert Reviews Ltd.

Six contact binaries lacking a period analysis have been chosen to search for the presence of a third body. The O-C diagrams of these binaries were analyzed with the least-squares method by using all available times of minima. Ten new minima times, obtained from our observations, were included in the present research. The Light-Time Effect was adopted for the first time as the main cause for the detailed description of the long-term period changes. Third bodies were found with orbital periods from 49 up to 100 years, and eccentricities from 0.0 to 0.56 for the selected binaries. In one case (WZ And), a fourth-body LITE variation was also applied. The mass functions and the minimal masses of such bodies were also calculated and a possible angular separation and magnitude differences were discussed for a prospective interferometric discovery of these bodies.

Few patients with moderate or severe myasthenia gravis (MG) do not respond to immunosuppressive treatment. We present our experience with periodic therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE), in 11 patients with MG resistant to intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) therapy, who had frequent relapses even whilst on high doses of immunosuppressive drugs, over a period of 8 years. All patients underwent TPE until control of their symptoms was achieved, and afterwards TPE sessions were continued periodically in an attempt to achieve remission of the disease, without immunosuppressant therapy. Two of the patients were progressively weaned off immunosuppressive agents, as well as TPE, and they are now symptom free. The other nine patients are still under a periodic TPE regime. Seven of them were weaned off all medications and required an average of 3.7 TPE sessions per year during the last 5 years. In the other two patients, those with the most severe form of the disease, the immunosuppressant dosage has been decreased and a TPE session every 2-3 weeks is required in order to control their symptoms. Through all these years TPE has been well tolerated and only minor side-effects were observed in two patients. Finally, during this 8 year follow-up period, nine of the patients treated with periodic TPE have been in good control of their symptoms over the last 5 years, and the other two patients live a normal life without any treatment in the last 3 years. Our results suggest that periodic TPE is safe and effective in the control of symptoms in patients with moderate to severe MG who do not respond to immunosuppressive therapies. © 2009 International Society for Apheresis.

BACKGROUND: Periodontitis is ubiquitous and associated with serological evidence of exposure to periodontal organisms, systemic inflammation and vascular disease. Dementia is a major public health problem likely related to a complex interaction between genetics and diseases associated with systemic inflammation, including diabetes, smoking and stroke. METHODS: To assess relationships between systemic exposure to periodontal pathogens and cognitive test outcomes, data were analysed from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES-III), a nationally representative cross sectional observational study among older adults. We included 2355 participants >or=60 years who completed measures of cognition and Poryphyromonas gingivalis IgG. Using SUDAAN, logistic regression models examined the association of P gingivalis IgG with cognitive test performance. RESULTS: Poor immediate verbal memory (<5/9 points) was prevalent in 5.7% of patients, and 6.5% overall had impaired delayed recall (<4/9); 22.1% had difficulty with serial subtractions (<5/5 trials correct). Individuals with the highest P gingivalis IgG (>119 ELISA Units (EU)) were more likely to have poor delayed verbal recall (OR 2.89, 95% CI 1.14 to 7.29) and impaired subtraction (OR 1.95, 95% CI 1.22 to 3.11) than those with the lowest (

Phenoxodiol (PXD) is a synthetic analogue of the plant isoflavone genistein with improved anticancer efficacy. Various properties and mechanisms of action have been attributed to the drug, the most important being its ability to sensitize resistant tumour cells to chemotherapy, which led to its fast track FDA approval for phase II/III clinical trials. In this study, we examined the effects of PXD on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and its potential role in regulating immune responses. We show that PXD, at concentrations ≥1 μg/ml (4 μM), inhibited proliferation and reduced the viability of healthy donor-derived PBMC. In contrast, lower PXD concentrations (0.05-0.5 μg/ml) augmented, upon 3-day incubation, PBMC cytotoxicity. Experiments with purified CD56 + lymphocytes revealed that PXD enhanced the lytic function of natural killer (NK) cells by directly stimulating this lymphocytic subpopulation. Furthermore, in an in vivo colon cancer model, Balb/C mice administered low-dose PXD, exhibited significantly reduced tumour growth rates and prolonged survival (in 40% of the animals). Ex vivo results showed that PXD stimulated both NK and tumour-specific cell lytic activity. We conclude that PXD, when administered at low concentrations, can act as an immunomodulator, enhancing impaired immune responses, often seen in cancer-bearing individuals. © 2009 The Authors Journal compilation © 2009 Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine/Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Self-organized TiO2 nanotubes with packed, vertically aligned morphology and different lateral characteristics were grown on Ti metal substrates by controlled electrochemical anodization in phosphate/HF and ethylene glycol/HF electrolytes. The wetting, photo-induced superhydrophilicity, and photocatalytic activity of the nanotubular materials were investigated under ultraviolet irradiation. The photoactivity of the TiO2 nanotube arrays was analysed in terms of their morphological characteristics that were determined by means of scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy in conjunction with geometrical modelling. The wetting and the UV-induced superhydrophilicity could be accordingly modelled by the Cassie-Baxter mode arising from the large scale roughness of the nanotubular arrays in combination with the Wenzel mode due to the small scale roughness induced by ridges at the outer tube surface. The photocatalytic activity of the TiO2 nanotube arrays was further found to correlate quantitatively with the variation of the geometric roughness factor, verifying the strong impact of morphology on the photo-induced properties of the vertically oriented TiO2 tubular architecture. © IOP Publishing Ltd.

One-electron oxidized guanine is an important reactive intermediate in the formation of oxidatively generated damage in DNA and a variety of methods have been utilized for the abstraction of a single electron from the guanine moiety. In this study, an alternative approach for the site specific, independent generation of the guanine radical, utilizing N-hydroxypyrid-2(1H)-one as a photolabile modifier of guanine, is proposed. Novel photolabile 6-[(1-oxido-2-pyridinyl)oxo]-6-deoxy- and 2′,6-dideoxy-guanosine derivatives capable of generating the neutral guanine radical (G(-H) •) upon photolysis were synthesized and characterized. The generation of G(-H) proceeds through homolysis of the N-O bond and was confirmed through continuous photolysis product analysis and trapping studies, as well as laser flash photolysis experiments. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2009.

CONTEXT: Both higher adherence to a Mediterranean-type diet and more physical activity have been independently associated with lower Alzheimer disease (AD) risk but their combined association has not been investigated. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the combined association of diet and physical activity with AD risk. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS: Prospective cohort study of 2 cohorts comprising 1880 community-dwelling elders without dementia living in New York, New York, with both diet and physical activity information available. Standardized neurological and neuropsychological measures were administered approximately every 1.5 years from 1992 through 2006. Adherence to a Mediterranean-type diet (scale of 0-9; trichotomized into low, middle, or high; and dichotomized into low or high) and physical activity (sum of weekly participation in various physical activities, weighted by the type of physical activity [light, moderate, vigorous]; trichotomized into no physical activity, some, or much; and dichotomized into low or high), separately and combined, were the main predictors in Cox models. Models were adjusted for cohort, age, sex, ethnicity, education, apolipoprotein E genotype, caloric intake, body mass index, smoking status, depression, leisure activities, a comorbidity index, and baseline Clinical Dementia Rating score. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Time to incident AD. RESULTS: A total of 282 incident AD cases occurred during a mean (SD) of 5.4 (3.3) years of follow-up. When considered simultaneously, both Mediterranean-type diet adherence (compared with low diet score, hazard ratio [HR] for middle diet score was 0.98 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.72-1.33]; the HR for high diet score was 0.60 [95% CI, 0.42-0.87]; P = .008 for trend) and physical activity (compared with no physical activity, the HR for some physical activity was 0.75 [95% CI, 0.54-1.04]; the HR for much physical activity was 0.67 [95% CI, 0.47-0.95]; P = .03 for trend) were associated with lower AD risk. Compared with individuals neither adhering to the diet nor participating in physical activity (low diet score and no physical activity; absolute AD risk of 19%), those both adhering to the diet and participating in physical activity (high diet score and high physical activity) had a lower risk of AD (absolute risk, 12%; HR, 0.65 [95% CI, 0.44-0.96]; P = .03 for trend). CONCLUSION: In this study, both higher Mediterranean-type diet adherence and higher physical activity were independently associated with reduced risk for AD.

Physical parameters of contact binaries are studied through 2-D and 3-D correlations among them. It is shown that the physical parameters (i.e. mass, radius and luminosity) are closely correlated with the orbital period and mass ratio in the 3-D domain. These correlations can be used as a quality check for the parameters in every given solution of a contact binary. The empirical laws, extracted out of these correlations, are a useful tool for a quick estimate of physical parameters for the numerous contact binaries found in global sky surveys.

Therapeutic proteins are a diverse class of drugs consisting of naturally occurring or modified proteins, and due to their size and physico-chemical properties, they can pose challenges for the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies. Physiologically-based pharmacokinetics (PBPK) modelling has been effective for early in silico prediction of pharmacokinetic properties of new drugs. The aim of the present workshop was to discuss the feasibility of PBPK modelling of macromolecules. The classical PBPK approach was discussed with a presentation of the successful example of PBPK modelling of cyclosporine A. PBPK model was performed with transport of the cyclosporine across cell membranes, affinity to plasma proteins and active membrane transporters included to describe drug transport between physiological compartments. For macromolecules, complex PBPK modelling or permeability-limited and/or target-mediated distribution was discussed. It was generally agreed that PBPK modelling was feasible and desirable. The role of the lymphatic system should be considered when absorption after extravascular administration is modelled. Target-mediated drug disposition was regarded as an important feature for generation of PK models. Complex PK-models may not be necessary when a limited number of organs are affected. More mechanistic PK/PD models will be relevant when adverse events/toxicity are included in the PK/PD modelling.

Volos, a coastal medium-sized city in the region of Thessaly and extended along the northern part of the Pagassitikos Gulf at the eastern seaboard of Central Greece, is among the cities which suffer from the air pollution in Greece. The case of Volos is an interesting example, where in the last decades the urbanization and the increased industrialization have resulted in the degradation of the air quality in the area. Meteorological factors play an important role in the air pollution development, while the complex topography of Volos exacerbates air pollution episodes. In this study, the relationships between PM10 (particulate matter with diameter less than 10 ΞΌm) and meteorological parameters such as wind speed, relative humidity and air temperature have been analyzed from 2005 to 2007 on the basis of 24-hour continuous measurements. According to the results obtained from the multiple linear regression analysis, there is a strong relation between meteorological parameters and the particulate matter concentrations in Volos city. Moreover, the calculation of the 72-hour air mass back trajectories during (eight) Saharan dust events, took place within the examined period, was carried out by applying the HYSPLIT 4 model of Air Resources Laboratory of NOAA for three different levels: 500, 1500 and 4000 m (a.m.s.1.). It is worthy to remark the high PM 10 values observed, indicating the contribution of such natural events in exacerbating the air quality in the area of Volos. Β© 2009 American Institute of Physics.

PURPOSE: There is evidence to suggest that muscle damage caused by resistance exercise (RE) may increase postprandial lipemia (PPL). This study examined PPL for two consecutive days after a protocol of low-volume eccentric RE that caused muscle damage. METHODS: Nine healthy, untrained male volunteers aged 27.2 ± 1.1 yr performed a session of eccentric RE consisting of eight sets of inclined leg presses at six repetition maximum with 3-min rest intervals. A high-fat meal (1.2 g fat, 1.2 g carbohydrate, 0.22 g protein, and 68.6 kJ•kg -1 body mass) was administered 16 h (day 1) and 40 h (day 2) after exercise as well as after an overnight fast with no prior exercise (control condition [C]). Venous blood samples were obtained before and hourly for 6 h after each meal. RESULTS: The duration of the exercise session (including rest intervals) was 25.6 ± 0.2 min, whereas net exercise time was 4.6 ± 0.2 min. Total energy expenditure was 0.64 ± 0.04 MJ. Serum creatine kinase and ratings of perceived muscle soreness were significantly elevated on day 1 and peaked on day 2. Triacylglycerol total area under the curve was 12.1% lower on day 1 compared with C (7.51 ± 0.99 vs. 8.54 ± 1.07 mmol•L -1•6 h -1, P < 0.02), whereas no difference existed between C and day 2. Serum insulin incremental area under the curve was significantly elevated on day 2 compared with C, indicating transient insulin resistance. CONCLUSION: These results show that low-volume eccentric RE is effective in reducing postprandial triacylglycerol concentration despite the low energy expenditure. Muscle damage does not have a detrimental effect on PPL. © 2009 by the American College of Sports Medicine.

PURPOSE: There is evidence to suggest that muscle damage caused by resistance exercise (RE) may increase postprandial lipemia (PPL). This study examined PPL for two consecutive days after a protocol of low-volume eccentric RE that caused muscle damage. METHODS: Nine healthy, untrained male volunteers aged 27.2 ± 1.1 yr performed a session of eccentric RE consisting of eight sets of inclined leg presses at six repetition maximum with 3-min rest intervals. A high-fat meal (1.2 g fat, 1.2 g carbohydrate, 0.22 g protein, and 68.6 kJ•kg -1 body mass) was administered 16 h (day 1) and 40 h (day 2) after exercise as well as after an overnight fast with no prior exercise (control condition [C]). Venous blood samples were obtained before and hourly for 6 h after each meal. RESULTS: The duration of the exercise session (including rest intervals) was 25.6 ± 0.2 min, whereas net exercise time was 4.6 ± 0.2 min. Total energy expenditure was 0.64 ± 0.04 MJ. Serum creatine kinase and ratings of perceived muscle soreness were significantly elevated on day 1 and peaked on day 2. Triacylglycerol total area under the curve was 12.1% lower on day 1 compared with C (7.51 ± 0.99 vs. 8.54 ± 1.07 mmol•L -1•6 h -1, P < 0.02), whereas no difference existed between C and day 2. Serum insulin incremental area under the curve was significantly elevated on day 2 compared with C, indicating transient insulin resistance. CONCLUSION: These results show that low-volume eccentric RE is effective in reducing postprandial triacylglycerol concentration despite the low energy expenditure. Muscle damage does not have a detrimental effect on PPL. © 2009 by the American College of Sports Medicine.

PURPOSE: There is evidence to suggest that muscle damage caused by resistance exercise (RE) may increase postprandial lipemia (PPL). This study examined PPL for two consecutive days after a protocol of low-volume eccentric RE that caused muscle damage. METHODS: Nine healthy, untrained male volunteers aged 27.2 ± 1.1 yr performed a session of eccentric RE consisting of eight sets of inclined leg presses at six repetition maximum with 3-min rest intervals. A high-fat meal (1.2 g fat, 1.2 g carbohydrate, 0.22 g protein, and 68.6 kJ•kg -1 body mass) was administered 16 h (day 1) and 40 h (day 2) after exercise as well as after an overnight fast with no prior exercise (control condition [C]). Venous blood samples were obtained before and hourly for 6 h after each meal. RESULTS: The duration of the exercise session (including rest intervals) was 25.6 ± 0.2 min, whereas net exercise time was 4.6 ± 0.2 min. Total energy expenditure was 0.64 ± 0.04 MJ. Serum creatine kinase and ratings of perceived muscle soreness were significantly elevated on day 1 and peaked on day 2. Triacylglycerol total area under the curve was 12.1% lower on day 1 compared with C (7.51 ± 0.99 vs. 8.54 ± 1.07 mmol•L -1•6 h -1, P < 0.02), whereas no difference existed between C and day 2. Serum insulin incremental area under the curve was significantly elevated on day 2 compared with C, indicating transient insulin resistance. CONCLUSION: These results show that low-volume eccentric RE is effective in reducing postprandial triacylglycerol concentration despite the low energy expenditure. Muscle damage does not have a detrimental effect on PPL. © 2009 by the American College of Sports Medicine.

Caudal autotomy, the self-induced tail shedding from the body, is a common defensive strategy in lizards. Tail loss is followed rapidly by regeneration, revealing the importance of a fully functional tail. Predation pressure has been traditionally correlated with autotomy performance. However there is a lack of evidence regarding the impact of predation regime on tail regeneration. Another important factor that has been neglected is the population density. Though it is well established that crowding alters various life-history traits, the impact of density on caudal regeneration remains understudied. In this paper we compared three island populations of the Aegean Wall Lizard (Podarcis erhardii) that have evolved under different levels of predation pressure: whereas the Naxos population is exposed to numerous predators the Kopries and Daskalio islet populations experience low predation pressure. To evaluate the effect of density-induced stress on caudal regeneration, lizards were treated under two conditions of housing, in single and crowded (six individuals) terraria. Tail sheding occurred prior to this treatment following a standardised method. The length of regenerated tail was recorded weekly. Regeneration rate was higher in single terraria when compared to crowded, reflecting the negative impact of crowding. However we failed to detect any statistically significant difference between single and crowded terraria in the case of Naxos. We believe that the underlying reason must be the heavy predation pressure under which rapid tail regeneration, even under unfavourable conditions, is crucial for survival. It seems that the imperious need for regeneration counteracts density-induced stress. © 2009 Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden.

The aim of a joint research activity in the FP6-ANNA project (http://www.i3-anna.org) is to develop and improve metrologies for the measurement of nanocrystal properties. Within the framework of this cooperation we optimized the sample preparation techniques to obtain a range of structures containing nanocrystals. Based on these samples we have optimized our characterization methods. In this work we focus on ellipsometry and X-ray diffraction measurements for the characterization of nanocrystal sizes in silicon rich oxide and porous silicon. We demonstrate the capabilities of dielectric function parametrizations in the ellipsometric evaluations, revealing the correlation between the broadening parameters of the critical point features and the nanocrystal size. ©The Electrochemical Society.

During the last decades, hundreds of species of Indo-Pacific origin from the Red Sea have traversed the Suez Canal and settled in the Eastern Mediterranean. Nowadays, Amphistegina lobifera Larsen, the most common epiphytic, symbiont- bearing large foraminifer, is known to be a successful immigrant that is widely distributed in the coastal ecosystems of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. In this study, we provide additional sites of occurrences on distributional range and settlement of A. lobifera in the Greek coastal ecosystems. The high relative abundances recorded are the result of very successful inhabitation of thisspecies in the Aegean ecosystems and suggest that it has become significant part of the epiphytic foraminiferal fauna.

A review of prospectively collected data in our trauma unit for the years 1998-2003 was undertaken. Adult patients who suffered multiple trauma with an Injury Severity Score (ISS) of >/=16, admitted to hospital for more than 72 hours and with sustained blunt chest injuries were included in the study. Demographic details including pre-hospital care, trauma history, admission vital signs, blood transfusions, details of injuries and their abbreviated injury scores (AIS), operations, length of intensive care unit and hospital stays, Injury Severity Score (ISS) and mortality were analysed. Fulfilling the inclusion criteria with at least one chest injury were 1,164 patients. The overall mortality reached 18.7%. As expected, patients in the higher AIS groups had both a higher overall ISS and mortality rate with one significant exception; patients with minor chest injuries (AIS(chest) = 1) were associated with mortality comparable to injuries involving an AIS(chest) = 3. Additionally, the vast majority of polytraumatised patients with an AIS(chest) = 1 died in ICU sooner than patients of groups 2-5.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors of HPV in a gynecologic population attending outpatient clinics using two new molecular tests. The Amplicor HPV test and the Linear Array (LA) HPV Genotyping test were used for the detection of HPV DNA in 320 women. Multiple logistic regression was used to identify independent prognostic factors of HPV positivity. The agreement between the two methods in terms of their qualitative results was 89.3% (kappa: 0.63). Based on the LA results, the overall prevalence of HPV DNA was 49.1%, 95% confidence interval (95% CI: 43.5%, 54.7%). The prevalence of high-risk HPV types was 30.3%. The predominant types were HPV-6 (24.8%) and HPV-16 (20.4%). Among women with normal cytology, the prevalence of HPV was much higher in those presenting other findings, such as inflammation, than those without other abnormal findings (49.5% vs. 31.5%). On the basis of multivariate analysis, the risk of HPV infection was higher among women with multiple sexual partners [>3 vs. 1: OR = 3.1, 95% CI: (1.5, 7.2)], Pap smear findings [low/high-grade lesions vs. negative: OR = 2.8, 95% CI: (1.2, 6.5)], the presence of warts [yes vs. no: OR = 3.0, 95% CI: (1.5, 6.3)] and no history of child birth [no vs. yes: OR = 2.6, 95% CI: (1.0, 6.7)]. Younger age was an additional risk factor for HPV infection with carcinogenic genotypes [OR for 1 year increase = 0.93, 95% CI: (0.89, 0.98)].

We consider a Paris Metro Pricing (PMP) approach for providing service to two classes of customers differentiated by their delay sensitivity. We develop a leader-follower game, where the leader is the service provider who sets the price and the customers respond by deciding whether to join or balk. We derive the customer behaviour as the Nash equilibrium of a multi-person game and obtain the revenue maximising price pairs for all combinations of arrival rates from each class to each server. We finally derive the capacity threshold in such domain and its impact on customer accessibility to the product or service. Copyright © 2009, Inderscience Publishers.

An external magnetic field, H, applied parallel to a quasi-two-dimensional carrier system modifies quantitatively and qualitatively the density of states. We examine how this affects primary thermodynamic properties, namely, the entropy, S, the internal and free energy, U and F, the magnetization, M, and the magnetic susceptibility, χm, using a self-consistent numerical approach. Although M is mainly in the opposite direction to H, the system is not linear. Hence, surprisingly, δM/δH swings between negative and positive values, i.e. a diamagnetic to paramagnetic transition of entirely orbital origin is predicted. This phenomenon is important compared to the ideal de Haas–van Alphen effect, i.e. the corresponding phenomenon under perpendicular magnetic field. By augmenting temperature, the diamagnetic to paramagnetic transition fades away. The overall behaviour of entropy is also foreseen and consistently interpreted. While the entropy contribution to the free energy is very small at low temperatures, entropy shows a clear dependence on the external magnetic field.

We analyzed 232 patients with previously untreated, symptomatic WM, of whom 10% were 50 years of age and 21% were > 75 years of age. Disease features and response to treatment were similar among age groups. Patients > 75 years of age had significantly shorter survival (OS; 53 months vs. 113 months for those > 50-75 years vs. not reached for patients 50 years of age; P < .001). Despite the fact that 33% of elderly patients died of causes unrelated to WM, disease-specific survival (DSS) was 72 months for patients > 75 years, 120 months for those > 50-75 years and not reached for patients 50 years (P = .001). International Prognostic Scoring System for WM (IPSSWM) could discriminate 3 risk groups with significantly different OS or DSS. The addition of elevated serum lactate dehydrogenase in the IPSS improved the ability of IPSS to identify a group of patients with a significantly worse outcome (median survival, 55 months).

Hyperprolactinemia has been associated with endothelial dysfunction and an adverse cardiovascular risk profile, possibly as a result of the vasoconstrictive properties of prolactin. In this cross-sectional study, we examined the hypothesis that prolactin contributes to the increased cardiovascular risk occurring in early menopause by studying apparently healthy women without hyperprolactinemia. Prolactin serum levels were measured by immunoassay in 76 women aged 54.4±4.9 years in menopause for 4.9±2.8 years, and possible correlations with traditional cardiovascular risk factors and surrogate markers of preclinical atherosclerosis, arterial stiffening, and endothelial and microcirculatory function were examined. Positive correlations between prolactin serum levels and arterial blood pressure, but no other traditional risk factors, were found. Prolactin also correlated with central aortic systolic (r=0.337; P=0.002) and diastolic (r=0.272; P=0.012) blood pressures and pulse wave velocity (r=0.264; P=0.02), a marker of aortic stiffness, but not with endothelial or microcirculatory function or carotid intima-media thickness. By multivariate regression analysis, prolactin levels determined, independent of traditional risk factors, both blood pressures and aortic stiffness. Notably, prolactin correlated with European Society of Cardiology HeartScore (r=0.364; P=0.002), a composite index that predicts 10-year cardiovascular mortality. Prolactin levels >8.0 ng/mL had 100% sensitivity to predict a high peripheral blood pressure. Prolactin may play a role in accelerated arteriosclerosis in early menopause by affecting central/peripheral blood pressure and arterial stiffness. In contrast, no correlation was observed with other risk factors or surrogate markers of atherosclerosis. Prospective studies to assess whether prolactin is an additional hormone increasing cardiovascular risk are warranted. © 2009 American Heart Association, Inc.

Micro-Raman spectroscopy is applied to investigate the long-term stability of industrial dye-sensitized solar cells under prolonged light soaking and thermal stress following continuous illumination over 6450 h at 55-60 °C. The Raman spectral characteristics of the individual cell components have been investigated using two excitation wavelengths in the visible and near-infrared range allowing us to assess the microstructure of the TiO2/conducting glass photoelectrode, the chemical bonding of the hydrophobic Ru(II)-polypyridyl dye complex on the mesoporous TiO2 film, and the electrolyte composition. Comparative ex situ resonance Raman measurements on fresh and aged cells indicate minor differences in the vibrational characteristics of the triiodide, dye molecules, and the triiodide/dye charge transfer adduct at the electrode/electrolyte interface upon aging, confirming the absence of any distinct chemical modification that could create instability. In situ Raman experiments implemented via the application of a polarization bias reveal a less pronounced potential dependence of both the electrolyte and the dye Raman response for the aged cells. These features together with the intensity reduction and broadening of the anatase Raman modes imply that the chemical stability of the cell interfaces is accompanied by a modification of the interfacial electric field on the TiO2/dye/electrolyte junction after long-term light and thermal stress.© 2009 American Chemical Society.

According to a common definition, interprofessional education (IPE) is described as "occasions when two or more professions learn from and about each other to improve collaboration and the quality of care". The Leonardo project under the name European Interprofessional Education Network (EIPEN) in health and social care, has been dealing with the challenges of interprofessional education. The EIPEN project tries to develop a transnational network of universities and employers in the six participating countries and at the same time to promote good practices in interprofessional learning and teaching in health and social care. IPE provides opportunities for students and practitioners to learn with, from and about each other during qualifying and post-qualifying training and in their practice. IPE in health and social care includes the education and training of practitioners in human and animal medicine, dentistry, nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, pharmacy and all other health professions including public and environmental health and health promotion, and social work. The outcomes of the EIPEN Project will provide means, material and guidelines for the enhancement of professional education in the multi-disciplinary field of Health Informatics. The methodology on the development of the Greek Interprofessional Network was based on a series of workshops aiming to document the educational process in healthcare institutes and universities followed by the assessment of the needs for the development of an interprofessional environment. The outcomes will provide means, material and guidelines for the enhancement of professional education in the multi-disciplinary field of Health Informatics.

Background: The most common sites of metastasis in prostate cancer include bone and regional lymph nodes followed by lung, liver, and brain. Peritoneal metastasis without skeletal involvement is extremely rare. Case Report: We present herein a patient with hormone refractory prostate cancer with peritoneal metastasis accompanied by ascites but without bone metastasis. The patient initially experienced an excellent response to docetaxelbased chemotherapy. Conclusions: Prostate cancer can present with distant metastasis in unexpected sites. The lack of skeletal involvement does not exclude the possibility of distant metastases. The presence of ascites may indicate peritoneal disease which could be responsive to current standard chemotherapy. Copyright © 2009 S. Karger AG.

Tibial stress fractures are not rare--they have been extensively studied in young athletes and soldiers and in elderly people with rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, Paget's disease, pyrophosphate arthropathy, and hyperparathyroidism--but they seldom occur in patients with severe primary degenerative knee osteoarthritis. The etiology, diagnosis, and optimal treatment of these fractures remain a challenge. In this article, we review the English-language literature on the symptoms, diagnosis, treatment options, and final outcomes of these fractures, and we report 2 new cases of proximal tibial stress fractures in elderly women with severe primary degenerative knee osteoarthritis.

A cross-sectional telephone survey on a nationally representative sample of 1,000 Greek households was performed to assess the acceptability of the pandemic influenza A(H1N1)v vaccine, factors associated with intention to decline and stated reasons for declining vaccination. The survey was initiated the last week of August 2009 (week 35) and is still ongoing (analysis up to week 44). The percentage of participants answering they would probably not/definitely not accept the vaccine increased from 47.1% in week 35 to 63.1% in week 44 (test for trend: p<0.001). More than half of the people which chronic illnesses (53.3%) indicated probably not/definitely not. Factors associated with intention to decline vaccination were female sex, age between 30-64 years, perception of low likelihood of getting infected or of low risk associated with influenza, and absence of household members suffering from chronic illnesses. For the majority of the respondents (59.8%), the main reason for intending to decline vaccination was the belief that the vaccine might not be safe. Promotion of vaccination programmes should be designed taking into account the attitudinal barriers to the pandemic vaccine.

Πρόκειται για τον πρώτο τόμο της Σειράς CESE Papers and Reports, η οποία θα περιλαμβάνει επιλεγμένες εργασίες από τα Παγκόσμια Συνέδρια της Ευρωπαϊκής Εταιρείας Συγκριτικής Εκπαίδευσης και επιστημονικές εργασίες των μελών της Εταιρείας μετά από κρίση του εκάστοτε επιμελητή. Η έκδοση φιλοδοξεί να δώσει βήμα σε πανεπιστημιακούς δασκάλους και ερευνητές από διάφορα μέρη του κόσμου να παρουσιάσουν το σύγχρονο δημόσιο λόγο και τις εκπαιδευτικές εξελίξεις στο τοπικό τους συγκείμενο. Ο πρώτος τόμος περιλαμβάνει πέραν του εισαγωγικού κεφαλαίου των επιμελητών, εννέα επιλεγμένες εργασίες, οι οποίες αντλούν τα θέματά τους από τις μεγάλες αλλαγές των τελευταίων δεκαετιών στις εκπαιδευτικές πολιτικές και πρακτικές σε διάφορα εκπαιδευτικά συστήματα. Οι συγγραφείς τους επιχειρούν να αποσαφηνίσουν τα νέα κοινωνικά και εκπαιδευτικά δεδομένα τα οποία επηρεάζουν τη σχολική εκπαίδευση, τα πανεπιστήμια και τα ερευνητικά ιδρύματα

Mutations in the highly conserved tyrosine-methionine-aspartate-aspartate (YMDD) motif are frequently associated with resistance to antivirals and represent a major concern in the treatment of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Conventional methods fail to detect minority populations of drug-resistant viral quasispecies if they represent less than 25% of the total sample virus population. The amplification refractory mutation system real-time PCR (ARMS RT-PCR) was combined with molecular beacon technology using the LightCycler system. The samples from HBV patients selected for assay evaluation included (i) 57 samples from treatment-naive patients for biological discriminatory ability (cutoff) estimation, (ii) 12 samples from patients with treatment failure that were M204V positive by sequencing, and (iii) 13 samples from patients with treatment failure that were negative for mutation at codon 204 by sequencing. The discriminatory ability of the assay was 0.25% when tested with laboratory-synthesized DNA target sequences. The median mutant-to-wild-type ratio for samples from naive patients tested positive for the wild type and for mutant variants was 0.01% (5th and 95th percentiles = 0.0001 and 0.04%, respectively). A value of 0.04% was selected as the biological cutoff of the assay of clinical samples. In all samples M204V positive by sequencing (12/12), the mutant variant was detected as the predominant population (range, 82.76 to 99.43%). Interestingly, in 5 (38%) of 13 samples negative by sequencing, the M204V variant was detected at a ratio above the biological cutoff (0.05 to 28%). The assay represents an efficient technique for the early detection and quantification of M204V variants before mutant strains emerge to dominate the population.

The elegant concept of Landau levels must be abandoned, whenever a quantum well (QW) is subjected to an in-plane or tilted magnetic field, because carriers move under the competing influence of the Lorentz force and the force due to the QW confining potential. The equal-energy surfaces [1, 2] or equivalently the density of states (DOS) [3, 4] are qualitatively and quantitatively modified because the spatial and the magnetic confinement compete. In the general case, handling of such problems involves self-consistent computations [2, 4, 5] of the energy dispersion, Ei,σ(kx), where i is the subband index, σ denotes the spin and kx is the in-plane wave vector perpendicular to the external in-plane magnetic field (applied along y), H. The envelope functions along the "growth" z-axis depend on kx, i.e., ψi,σ,kx,ky (r) κ ζi,σ,kx (z)eikxxeikyy. The impact on the physical properties was initially realized in transport experiments [6, 7, 8, 9]. The character of plasmons in single [10] and double [11] QWs is also affected. The N-type kink was theoretically predicted [12] and recently verified in photoluminescence experiments [13]. In this chapter, employing a self-consistent envelope function approach: (a) I summarize fundamental quantum mechanical relations pertinent to QWs under in-plane magnetic field, and I stage a compact DOS formula which holds for any type of interplay between spatial and magnetic confinement [4, 5]. (b) I describe the influence of an in-plane magnetic field on fundamental thermodynamic properties of dilutemagnetic- semiconductor narrow to wide single QWs. I discuss the entropy, S, the internal energy, U, the free energy, F, and the magnetization, M. (c) I examine the spin-subband populations and the spin-polarization of dilute-magnetic-semiconductor narrow to wide single QWs [5, 14].

Spain has become the first country in the world to officially recognize and promote Men’s Rhythmic Gymnastics. In light of the Spanish Gymnastics Federation’s recent initiative (Feb. 2009) this paper examines corporeality and sport identity in ways that reflect processes of change, in exploring the interrelation of social theories, international dialogue and anachronistic gender-based ideologies that established gender stereotypes in competitive sports. Subsequently, this paper presents a case study and discusses the official recognition of men’s rhythmic gymnastics (RG) by the Federation of International Gymnastics (FIG). Despite gender stereotypes that depict this Olympic sport as unacceptable for the image of masculinity, the male body aesthetic, including masculine gender role identity, the rising involvement of boys and men in this sport throughout the globe can no longer be ignored. Incontestably rhythmic gymnastics for men and boys is growing and how far it will go remains to be seen. The socially constructed and historically specific nature of physicality, corporeality and sport identity need to be renegotiated since exclusions based on genetic characteristics are a contradiction to the value system of sport. (Olympic Charter, rule2 par. 5, 7/7/2007) Keywords: gender-inclusive, gender fluidity, gender identity, corporeality, genetic personification, men’s rhythmic gymnastics

Spain has become the first country in the world to officially recognize and promote Men’s Rhythmic Gymnastics. In light of the Spanish Gymnastics Federation’s recent initiative (Feb. 2009) this paper examines corporeality and sport identity in ways that reflect processes of change, in exploring the interrelation of social theories, international dialogue and anachronistic gender-based ideologies that established gender stereotypes in competitive sports. Subsequently, this paper presents a case study and discusses the official recognition of men’s rhythmic gymnastics (RG) by the Federation of International Gymnastics (FIG). Despite gender stereotypes that depict this Olympic sport as unacceptable for the image of masculinity, the male body aesthetic, including masculine gender role identity, the rising involvement of boys and men in this sport throughout the globe can no longer be ignored. Incontestably rhythmic gymnastics for men and boys is growing and how far it will go remains to be seen. The socially constructed and historically specific nature of physicality, corporeality and sport identity need to be renegotiated since exclusions based on genetic characteristics are a contradiction to the value system of sport. (Olympic Charter, rule2 par. 5, 7/7/2007) Keywords: gender-inclusive, gender fluidity, gender identity, corporeality, genetic personification, men’s rhythmic gymnastics......................................................................

1. Kamberidou, Irene; Tsopani, Despina; Dallas, George and Patsantaras, Nikolaos (2009). A Question of Identity and Equality in Sports: Men's Participation in Men's Rythmic Gymnastics. NEBULA 6.4, a Journal of Multidisciplinary Scholarship Australia ISSN-1449 7751, 6(4), 220-237. Publisher's Version mens_rythmic_gymnastics.pdf  H.6 in Apella

    *** Republished – redistributed as: Kamberidou, I., Tsopani, D., Dallas, G., & Patsantaras, N. (2009). A Question of Identity and Equality in Sports: Men’s Participation in Men’s Rhythmic Gymnastics. The Routledge Falmer Reader in Gender and Education, 220–237.  H.6 in Apella

Spain has become the first country in the world to officially recognize and promote Men’s Rhythmic Gymnastics. In light of the Spanish Gymnastics Federation’s recent initiative (Feb. 2009) this paper examines corporeality and sport identity in ways that reflect processes of change, in exploring the interrelation of social theories, international dialogue and anachronistic gender-based ideologies that established gender stereotypes in competitive sports. Subsequently, this paper presents a case study and discusses the official recognition of men’s rhythmic gymnastics (RG) by the Federation of International Gymnastics (FIG). Despite gender stereotypes that depict this Olympic sport as unacceptable for the image of masculinity, the male body aesthetic, including masculine gender role identity, the rising involvement of boys and men in this sport throughout the globe can no longer be ignored. Incontestably rhythmic gymnastics for men and boys is growing and how far it will go remains to be seen. The socially constructed and historically specific nature of physicality, corporeality and sport identity need to be renegotiated since exclusions based on genetic characteristics are a contradiction to the value system of sport. (Olympic Charter, rule2 par. 5, 7/7/2007) Keywords: gender-inclusive, gender fluidity, gender identity, corporeality, genetic personification, men’s rhythmic gymnastics..

The RACE-OC project, standing for Rotation and Activity Evolution in Open Clusters, is a long-term project aimed at studying the evolution of rotation and magnetic activity of late-type members of stellar open clusters. Magnetic fields play a fundamental role in altering the rotational properties of late-type stars. They are responsible, e.g., for angular momentum loss in the wind or its redistribution in the stellar interior. Magnetic fields in late-type stars and their related phenomena, such as photospheric cool spots and bright faculae, chromospheric plages, and X-ray emission, in turn depend on the stellar rotation which controls the efficiency of the hydromagnetic dynamo. Thus, the evolution of angular momentum and magnetic activity offer complementary approaches to understanding the mechanisms by which rotation and magnetic fields influence each other in late-type stars.

Background: We undertook a randomized phase II trial to test whether the addition of paclitaxel (Taxol) to the cisplatin and ifosfamide (IP) combination could improve objective response (OR) rate, progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with recurrent or metastatic cancer of the uterine cervix. Patients and methods: One hundred and fifty-three patients were randomly allocated to receive either the IP regimen (ifosfamide 1.5 g/m2, daily, on days 1-3 and cisplatin 70 mg/m2 on day 2) or the same combination with the addition of paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 on day 1 [ifosfamide, paclitaxel and cisplatinum (ITP) regimen]. Cycles were administered every 4 weeks on an outpatient basis. Results: A modest increase in neurotoxicity was observed with the triplet combination. OR rate was significantly higher in the ITP group (59% versus 33%, P = 0.002). Median PFS was 7.9 and 6.3 months for patients in the ITP and IP arms, respectively (P = 0.023). Median OS was 15.4 months and 13.2 months in the ITP and IP arms, respectively (P = 0.048). In multivariate analysis, the triplet yielded a hazard ratio of 0.70 for relapse or progression (P = 0.046) and 0.75 for death (P = 0.124) compared with the doublet. Conclusion: The ITP combination merits further investigation in randomized phase III studies. © The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society for Medical Oncology. All rights reserved.

Background Effective anthracycline-free combinations need to be evaluated in metastatic breast cancer (MBC), due to the increased number of patients treated with anthracycline-based adjuvant chemotherapy. Patients and methods Patients with MBC were randomized to paclitaxel and carboplatin (PCb) every 3 weeks or docetaxel and gemcitabine (GDoc) every 3 weeks or weekly paclitaxel (Pw). Trastuzumab was given to patients with HER-2 over-expressing tumors. The primary endpoint of the study was survival. Quality of life (QoL) and cost were assessed. Results Totally, 416 eligible patients entered the study. Median survival times were 29.9 months for PCb, 26.9 for GDoc and 41.0 for Pw (P = 0.037). According to multivariate analysis, adjuvant chemotherapy, >1 metastatic sites, lack of maintenance hormonal therapy, and worse performance status (PS) were significant adverse prognostic factors for survival, while Pw when compared to GDoc improved survival (P = 0.03), as well as when compared to PCb in the subgroup of patients with PS = 1 (P = 0.01, treatment by PS interaction P = 0.03). No significant differences in terms of time to progression were found. Severe myelotoxicity and mucositis were more frequent with GDoc, while severe neuropathy with PCb and Pw. QoL changes did not differ significantly between treatment groups, while cost analysis favored Pw. Conclusions Pw appears to be the most preferable choice among the 3 anthracycline-free taxanes-based regimens tested in the present study. © 2008 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.

Background: Cytokines are significant mediators of the immune response to surgery and also play a role in parturition. The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of the anesthetic technique for cesarean section on plasma levels of cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α. Methods: Thirty-five parturients scheduled for elective cesarean section were randomly assigned to general (n = 18) or neuraxial (n = 17) anesthesia. The general anesthesia group received thiopental 4 mg/kg, succinylcholine 1-1.5 mg/kg and 1% end-tidal concentration of sevoflurane in nitrous oxide and 50% oxygen. The neuraxial anesthesia group received intrathecal 0.5% levobupivacaine 1.8-2.2 mL and epidural fentanyl 1 μg/kg. Blood samples were taken for IL-6 and TNF-α immediately after positioning the parturient on the operating table, after uterine incision and before the umbilical cord clamping and 24 h after surgery (T1, T2 and T3 respectively). Results: The two groups did not differ in IL-6 (P = 0.15) or TNF-α (P = 0.73) serum concentrations at any time point. In the general and neuraxial anesthesia groups, IL-6 serum concentrations were significantly higher in the third blood sample, T3 (12.2 ± 5.0 and 15.2 ± 4.3 pg/mL), than in T1 (0.41 ± 0.38 and 0.29 ± 0.10 pg/mL) and T2 (0.37 ± 0.47 and 0.24 ± 0.05) respectively (P < 0.001). Within each group, serum TNF-α concentrations did not differ significantly over time (P = 0.44). Conclusions: Under the present study design anesthetic technique did not affect IL-6 or TNF-α concentrations in parturients undergoing elective cesarean section. Serum IL-6 levels increased 24 h postoperatively independently of anesthetic technique. © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Background: Receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) binds to RANK on the surface of osteoclast precursors and enhances their differentiation, survival and fusion, activates mature osteoclasts and inhibits their apoptosis. Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is the decoy receptor of RANKL. Disruption of the RANK/RANKL/OPG axis is implicated in bone metastases. Objective/ methods: A review of the role of RANKL signaling in bone development and the rationale for targeting RANKL in treatment of bone metastases and myeloma bone disease. Results/conclusions: In preclinical models of solid tumors and myeloma, RANKL inhibition reduced osteoclast numbers and subsequent bone resorption, prevented development of osteolytic lesions and decreased tumor burden. Preliminary clinical studies with denosumab, an anti-RANKL fully human monoclonal antibody, in patients with solid tumors with bone metastases and myeloma showed that targeting RANKL reduces osteoclastogenesis, bone resorption markers and skeletal-related events, supporting further study of this molecule and others with anti-RANKL activity. © 2009 Informa UK Ltd. All rights reserved.

We provide an overview of 'trapped rainbow' techniques for stopping light. We show that guided modes with real propagation consrtant and complex frequency can be 'trapped rainbow'-stopped even in the presence of waveguide losses. © 2009 Optical Society of America.

Create a hub for sharing knowledge (with regard to the “Development of MSc Programs) facilitating communication and coordination with students: Goal #1: Increase visibility and fostering/retaining partnerships.  Goal #2: Contribute to improving gender inclusive practices.  Goal #3: Encourage dialogue and partnerships and facilitate strategic alliance. Namely, a websites (safe and free of charge) that will help transform ‘classrooms’ into more collaborative and dynamic learning environments, allowing students to communicate with other students and teachers around the world. Additionally,  Proposed courses/or Directed Study: “Gender issues in sports” (offered by ESTIAEARTH partner, scient. responsible: Irene Kamberidou);  Proposed course/ or Directed Study: “Research Methods” (offered by ESTIAEARTH partner, Kostas Karteroliotis);   Directed Study: “Gender and technology (the anachronistic gender-science imbalance) from a sociological perspective.” (offered by ESTIA-EARTH partner, Irene Kamberidou); Proposed course or directed study: “Sport Sociology” offered by ESTIA-EARTH partner Nikolaos Patsantaras. FUTURE GOALS: Training the trainers/educating the educators** (see attached recommendations).   

The incidence of cutaneous adverse reactions to quinolones is low; moreover their development in patients with concomitant alcohol consumption is a phenomenon that has been scarcely reported. We present a case of 46-year-old male who developed erythema multiforme after ingestion of alcohol, while being treated with ciprofloxacin. The lesion was self-limiting and abstinence from alcohol permitted the completion of the course of therapy without any other adverse reaction.

We present a case of a 53-year-old woman with recurrent intra-articular osteoid osteoma of the hip 6 months after initial treatment with percutaneous radiofrequency ablation. En bloc surgical excision of the osteoid osteoma and prophylactic internal fixation for impending stress fracture was performed. The patient is pain free, has returned to normal function and there is no sign of recurrence at the one-year follow-up. Intraarticular osteoid osteoma, present a diagnostic challenge and often they are misdiagnosed. Minimally invasive ablation techniques can fail in significant percentage and then surgical excision with histological confirmation remains the definitive treatment of choice.

Background: Osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) is a well-described complication of bisphosphonates use in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). We investigated whether the occurrence of ONJ decreased after the implementation of preventive measures in 128 patients with MM who received zoledronic acid. Patients and methods: Patients with MM who received zoledronic acid were included in this analysis. Patients with a previous use of other bisphosphonates were excluded; patients were stratified into group A (n = 38) and group B (n = 90) if treatment was started before or after the implementation of preventive measures. Results: One hundred and twenty-eight patients were included in this analysis. Sixteen patients (12.5%) developed ONJ - group A: 8 (26.3%), group B: 2 (6.7%) (P = 0.002). The incidence rate (IR) was 0.671/100 person-months for group A and 0.230/100 person-months for group B [IR ratio 2.92, P = 0.029, 95% confidence interval 1.06-8.03]. No patient in group B developed stage III ONJ. Conclusion: In conclusion, the risk of developing ONJ after treatment of zoledronic acid is reduced (but not deleted) by the implementation of preventive measures. © The Author 2008. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society for Medical Oncology. All rights reserved.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the treatment of choice for symptomatic cholelithiasis. Postoperative pain, however, can prolong hospital stay and lead to increased morbidity. In the context of a multimodal approach to analgesia, intraperitoneal local anesthetic administration optimizes analgesia and facilitates early postoperative recovery, and it may be associated with a decreased risk of side effects. METHODS: A total of 71 patients was randomized to receive either intraperitoneal analgesic (IPA group) or not (controls). At the completion of cholecystectomy, 10 mL of levobupivacaine 0.5% were infused intraperitoneally in the IPA group and 8 h postoperatively, whereas in the controls, 10 mL of 0.9% NaCl were administered in the corresponding points of time. Differences in pain scores between groups were the primary endpoints. Opioid consumption and adverse effects were the secondary endpoints. RESULTS: The 2 groups were homogenous in respect to age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and duration of operation. No conversion, complication, or mortality was recorded. The IPA group had a lesser visual analog scale score at rest and at movement compared with controls at all points of time measured. Moreover, fentanyl consumption in the recovery room was significantly greater in the control group, and the consumption of meperidine and the percentage of the patients that requested rescue analgesia in the ward was significantly greater in the control group. Local analgesic intraperitoneal injection as well as parecoxib for postoperative analgesia had no significant adverse effects. CONCLUSION: Our study showed that 2 separate doses of intraperitoneally administered levobupivacaine significantly decreased postoperative pain and the need for opioids compared with placebo. This technique is simple, safe, and without adverse effects.

Axisymmetric resistive MHD simulations for radially self-similar initial conditions are performed, using the NIRVANA code. The magnetic diffusivity could occur in outflows above an accretion disk, being transferred from the underlying disk into the disk corona by MHD turbulence (anomalous turbulent diffusivity), or as a result of ambipolar diffusion in partially ionized flows. We introduce, in addition to the classical magnetic Reynolds number Rm, which measures the importance of resistive effects in the induction equation, a new number Rb, which measures the importance of the resistive effects in the energy equation. We find two distinct regimes of solutions in our simulations. One is the low-resistivity regime, in which results do not differ much from ideal-MHD solutions. In the high-resistivity regime, results seem to show some periodicity in time-evolution, and depart significantly from the ideal-MHD case. Whether this departure is caused by numerical or physical reasons is of considerable interest for numerical simulations and theory of astrophysical outflows and is currently investigated.

Axisymmetric resistive MHD simulations for radially self-similar initial conditions are performed, using the NIRVANA code. The magnetic diffusivity could occur in outflows above an accretion disk, being transferred from the underlying disk into the disk corona by MHD turbulence (anomalous turbulent diffusivity), or as a result of ambipolar diffusion in partially ionized flows. We introduce, in addition to the classical magnetic Reynolds number Rm, which measures the importance of resistive effects in the induction equation, a new number Rb, which measures the importance of the resistive effects in the energy equation. We find two distinct regimes of solutions in our simulations. One is the low-resistivity regime, in which results do not differ much from ideal-MHD solutions. In the high-resistivity regime, results seem to show some periodicity in time-evolution, and depart significantly from the ideal-MHD case. Whether this departure is caused by numerical or physical reasons is of considerable interest for numerical simulations and theory of astrophysical outflows and is currently investigated.

PURPOSE: Renal impairment is a frequent complication of multiple myeloma (MM) and is associated with significant morbidity and increased early death rate. Bortezomib is active and well tolerated in patients with MM who present or develop renal impairment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We analyzed 46 consecutive patients who presented with renal impairment in order to evaluate the impact of bortezomib on the improvement of renal function and to identify predictive factors associated with renal response. All patients received bortezomib with dexamethasone with or without other agents. RESULTS: Renal response was documented in 59% of patients within a median of 11 days (range, 8-41 days). Two of 9 patients who required dialysis became dialysis independent. A complete renal response (CRrenal) was documented in 30% of patients. Toxicities were similar to those seen in myeloma patients without renal failure who were treated with bortezomib-based regimens. Patients with light chain-only myeloma had a higher probability of achieving a renal response, and previously untreated patients had a higher probability for complete resolution of renal impairment, while light chain-only myeloma was independently associated with a shorter time to renal response. The degree of renal impairment was not predictive of the probability for renal response or CRrenal; however, in a subset of patients for whom cystatin C was available, a baseline cystatin C > 2 mg/L or cystatin C calculated estimated glomerular filtration rate < 30 mL/min were associated with a lower probability of CRrenal. CONCLUSION: We conclude that bortezomib-based regimens may improve renal function in the majority of myeloma patients with renal impairment.

The anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab has shown activity in approximately one third of patients with Waldenström's Macroglobulinemia (WM). Because this agents is nonmyelosuppressive, several studies have assessed its combination with chemotherapeutic agents such as fludarabine, cladribine, cyclophosphamide, and doxorubicin. These regimens induce at least partial response in > 70% of previously untreated patients. Recent data suggest that prolonged exposure to nucleoside-containing regimens should be avoided because of concerns of myelodysplasia and disease transformation. Rituximab has also been combined with thalidomide, which is an active and nonmyelosuppressive regimen. The rituximab-based combination represents today the most commonly used primary treatment for WM.

The coastline of Attica incorporates a great number of pocket beaches, which are characterised further by the presence of extensive beachrock formations. The present study concerns the evolution (past, present and future) of the Kalyvia beach zone, located at the western coast of Attica and at a distance of 42 km from the city of Athens. The subaerial part of the beach zone consists of mixed materials (mainly sand, granules and gravel), while extensive beachrock formations exist on its shoreface. The beach is exposed primarily to southern wind-induced waves, the largest of which (offshore wave height up to 6m and period >11sec) begin to break at about 8 m of water depth and have a run-up capability of approximately 1.5 m. Most of the subaqueous part of the Kalyvia beach zone is lithified, as the beachrocks extend from the shoreline down to >8 m of water depth. This part of the beach zone may be subdivided further into three units: the deeper one (water depths >7m), the middle (depths 5-6.5 m) and the upper unit (from 4 m depth up to the shoreline). This almost continuous presence is related to the gradual sea level rise during the upper Holocene (past 6.000 years), indicating also a relative climatic stability and/or homogeneity during this period, although some morphological and structural differences in the beachrock indicate changes either in the rate of sea level rise or in the prevailing climatic conditions. Over the last decades, human activities and constructions have deprived the beach of hinterland sediment supply, changing, therefore, its sedimentological character. During this period, beachrocks have played a ‘protective role’ stabilizing and reducing substantially the retreat of the beach zone, which on the basis of the landward boundary displacement of the beachrocks has been estimated to be in the order of 30cm per year from 1969 to 2005. This retreat is attributed to the marine erosion of the sediment that used to cover the upper beachrock formations, in combination to the sea-level rise (approx. 18 cm over the past century) and the lack of sediment supply. Moreover, this degradation of the Kalyvia beach zone is expected to be intensified by the potential future sea level rise (approximately 38 cm for the year 2100).

Intracellular calcium is a major coordinator of numerous aspects of cellular physiology, including muscle contractility and cell survival. In cardiac muscle, aberrant Ca(2+) cycling has been implicated in a range of pathological conditions including cardiomyopathies and heart failure. The sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca(2+) transport adenosine triphosphatase (SERCA2a) and its regulator phospholamban (PLN) have a central role in modulating Ca(2+) homeostasis and, therefore, cardiac function. Herein, we discuss the mechanisms through which SERCA2a and PLN control cardiomyocyte function in health and disease. Emphasis is placed on our newly identified PLN-binding partner HS-1-associated protein X-1 (HAX-1), which has an anti-apoptotic function and presents with numerous similarities to Bcl-2. Recent evidence indicates that proteins of the Bcl-2 family can influence ER Ca(2+) content, a critical determinant of cellular sensitivity to apoptosis. The discovery of the PLN/HAX-1 interaction therefore unveils an important new link between Ca(2+) homeostasis and cell survival, with significant therapeutic potential.

Mathematical modeling was employed on recent epidemiological data from Mexico in order to assess the impact of intervention strategies on the spread of influenza A(H1N1)v in the setting of the European region. Active surveillance that will ensure timely treatment and home isolation of symptomatic cases in combination with school closure seem to form an efficient strategy to control the spread of influenza A(H1N1)v.

BACKGROUND: Transient symptoms in Alzheimer disease (AD) are frequent and include seizures, syncope, and episodes of inattention or confusion. The incidence of seizures in AD and predictors of which patients with AD might be more predisposed to them is based primarily on retrospective studies and is not well established. OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence and predictors of new-onset unprovoked seizures. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Three academic centers. Patients Four hundred fifty-three patients with probable AD observed prospectively from mild disease stages since 1992. Main Outcome Measure Informant interviews every 6 months included questions about whether the patient had a seizure (convulsion, fainting, or "funny" spell) and whether diagnosis or treatment for epilepsy or seizure was made. Two epileptologists independently retrospectively reviewed all available medical records for 52 patients with positive responses to either of these questions, and using a specific checklist form, events were diagnosed as to whether they were unprovoked seizures (intrarater concordance, kappa = 0.67). Diagnosis of unprovoked seizures constituted the event in survival analyses. Potential predictors included sex, age, race/ethnicity, educational achievement, duration of illness, baseline cognition and function, depression, medical comorbidities, and time-dependent use of cholinesterase inhibitors and neuroleptic agents, apolipoprotein E genotype, and previous electroencephalographic findings. RESULTS: Over the course of 3518 visit-assessments (per patient: mean, 7.8; maximum, 27), 7 patients (1.5%) developed seizures. Younger age was associated with higher risk (hazard ratio, 1.23; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-1.41; P = .003 for each additional year of age) of seizure incidence. No other predictor was significant. The overall incidence of seizures was low (418 per 100 000 person-years of observation) although significantly higher than expected for idiopathic unprovoked seizures in similar age ranges of the general population (hazard ratio, 8.06; 95% confidence interval, 3.23-16.61). CONCLUSIONS: Unprovoked seizures are uncommon in AD, but they do occur more frequently than in the general population. Younger age is a risk factor for seizures in AD.

Surface functionalization of self-organized Ti02 nanotube (NT) arrays produced by electrochemical anodization is implemented by dextrin-coated iron-oxide nanoparticles leading to a composite semiconductor nanostructure. The morphological and structural properties are studied by electron and atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron, and resonance micro-Raman spectroscopies revealing successful deposition of maghemite (γ-Fe2o3) nanoparticles on the nanotube walls. The nanocomposite surface simultaneously exhibits high photocatalytic activity for the degradation of model pollutants under UV irradiation at relatively low loading levels of the γ-Fe2o3 nanoparticles and light-independent wetting properties, as the initially superhydrophilic surface is converted to a moderately hydrophilic substrate, while obtaining an additional functionality through the magnetic field response of the iron-oxide component that shows appreciable magnetization anisotropy. Electrochemical impedance investigation including Mott-Schottky analysis attests to a significant improvement of the interfacial electron-transfer kinetics together with a modification of the surface chemistry for the functionalized Ti0 2 nanotubes, promoting electron-hole separation through the polyhydroxyl dextrin shell that mediates charge transfer between the constituent semiconductor oxides and validating their improved photocatalytic performance. These composite nanotubular materials offer the opportunity of advanced applications, where the unique photoinduced reactivity, the controlled wetting behavior, and the magnetic field response can be effectively combined. © 2009 American Chemical Society.

Males and females learn and remember differently at different times in their lives. These differences occur in most species, from invertebrates to humans. We review here sex differences as they occur in laboratory rodent species. We focus on classical and operant conditioning paradigms, including classical eyeblink conditioning, fear-conditioning, active avoidance and conditioned taste aversion. Sex differences have been reported during acquisition, retention and extinction in most of these paradigms. In general, females perform better than males in the classical eyeblink conditioning, in fear-potentiated startle and in most operant conditioning tasks, such as the active avoidance test. However, in the classical fear-conditioning paradigm, in certain lever-pressing paradigms and in the conditioned taste aversion, males outperform females or are more resistant to extinction. Most sex differences in conditioning are dependent on organizational effects of gonadal hormones during early development of the brain, in addition to modulation by activational effects during puberty and adulthood. Critically, sex differences in performance account for some of the reported effects on learning and these are discussed throughout the review. Because so many mental disorders are more prevalent in one sex than the other, it is important to consider sex differences in learning when applying animal models of learning for these disorders. Finally, we discuss how sex differences in learning continue to alter the brain throughout the lifespan. Thus, sex differences in learning are not only mediated by sex differences in the brain, but also contribute to them.

The deterioration of homeostasis between oxidant/antioxidant species may represent an important mechanism linking psychological stress to cardiovascular risk despite the many sex differences in stress responsiveness. The goal of the present study was to investigate the influence of chronic mild stress (CMS), a widely accepted animal model of depression, on oxidative homeostasis-allostasis markers and sICAM-1, a marker of endothelial injury, in the serum of Wistar rats, by taking into account the effect of sex. After six weeks of exposure to mild unpredictable environmental stressors, both male and female rat groups displayed typical changes in hedonic status (anhedonia), which is a core symptom of human depression. Control female rats had higher (nitrite and nitrate) NOx, lower malondealdehyde (MDA) levels with lower activity of antioxidant enzymes and sICAM-1 levels than did control males. CMS induced oxidant/antioxidant responses in both sexes. Females tended to increase their nitric oxide (NO) levels further, while MDA levels did not reach those of males, thus retaining significantly higher NO bioavailability than in males. Concerning the antioxidant enzymes, CMS-females exhibited significantly higher glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity and lower glutathione reductase (GR) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity compared to CMS-males. The CMS response in females was accompanied by lower sICAM-1 levels than in males, suggesting lower endothelial injury. In conclusion, the results of the present study showed that CMS induces different oxidative stress and compensatory responses in both sexes probably due to differences in the mechanisms regulating oxidant/antioxidant pathways.

Cette étude fut élaborée dans le cadre d’une bourse de recherche du gouvernement canadien (Canadian Studies Faculty Enrichment Award) et s’appuie sur un matériel récolté dans divers centres de recherche (Bibliothèque nationale du Québec à Montréal, Bibliothèque des sciences humaines et sociales de l’université Laval, Centre de documentation de la Centrale de l’enseignement du Québec) et organismes québécois (Centre de documentation et Coordination à la condition féminine au ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport). La recherche ambitionne de combler un vide historiographique : au Québec, une des régions les plus progressistes de la francophonie en matière d’égalité des sexes et de parité, le champ d’investigation des représentations des sexes et du genre dans les manuels scolaires du secondaire est encore inexploré.L’étude porte plus précisément sur les manuels d’histoire des deux dernières classes de l’enseignement secondaire en usage entre 1980 et 2004. Pourquoi des manuels du second cycle du secondaire ? Dépourvus des stéréotypes trop voyants rencontrés parfois dans les manuels de l’école primaire, ils se prêtent plus facilement à l’analyse. Pourquoi des manuels si récents ? Compte tenu de la mission civique dont ils sont investis, l’examen de ces ouvrages permet d’interroger un avenir en train de s’inventer. La démarche méthodologique adoptée est à la fois quantitative et qualitative : constituer un corpus de notations sexuées afin d’examiner la place de chaque sexe dans l’histoire scolaire québécoise ; comparative également : il s’agit de mettre en évidence tant les évolutions advenues au cours de vingt-cinq ans que les lignes de force communes et les disparités entre manuels.Deux axes se profilent : l’examen des sources imprimées (programmes d’études, manuels) qui révèle un certain progrès de la place accordée au sexe féminin dans l’espace historique ; la proposition d’une relecture de deux périodes historiques fondée sur les apports des spécialistes de l’histoire des femmes et du genre, afin de repérer les vides laissés dans le récit historique : il s’agit des XVIIe et XVIIIe siècles (étude de l’histoire de la colonie française de la Nouvelle-France) d’une part, de la période de l’entre-deux-guerres (étude de l’histoire de France), d’autre part. L’étude des chapitres correspondants des manuels québécois révèle que l’action des individus est largement mesurée à l’aune des structures du pouvoir interprétées au masculin ; les femmes, n’étant pas toujours concernées par cet aspect de l’histoire, restent souvent invisibles.

Research in affective disorders is often performed without considering sex differences, although women are predominantly affected. Consequently, the potential sex-dependent action of antidepressants remains elusive. We investigated whether Flinders sensitive line (FSL) of rats, a model of depression, would present sex-differentiated responses to antidepressant treatment. FSL and Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with clomipramine 10 mg/kg/day for 14 days. Subsequently, they were subjected to either a single session of the forced swim test or an estimation of serotonergic function in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, amygdala and hypothalamus. Male FSL displayed increased immobility duration, decreased active behaviours, increased serotonin tissue levels and a reduced serotonin turnover rate in most brain areas studied. Female FSL showed a distinct profile, consisting of decreased immobility latency, increased climbing duration, limited serotonergic deviations and no difference in the serotonin turnover rate in comparison with controls. Interestingly, despite baseline differences, clomipramine treatment reversed all relevant behavioural responses and increased the serotonin turnover rate in both sexes. However, the latter effect was remarkably more pronounced in females. It is concluded that, in this animal model of depression, chronic clomipramine treatment attenuated baseline sex differences in the phenotype while maintaining or intensifying the sex differentiation in the serotonergic endophenotype.

Research in affective disorders is often performed without considering sex differences, although women are predominantly affected. Consequently, the potential sex-dependent action of antidepressants remains elusive. We investigated whether Flinders sensitive line (FSL) of rats, a model of depression, would present sex-differentiated responses to antidepressant treatment. FSL and Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with clomipramine 10 mg/kg/day for 14 days. Subsequently, they were subjected to either a single session of the forced swim test or an estimation of serotonergic function in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, amygdala and hypothalamus. Male FSL displayed increased immobility duration, decreased active behaviours, increased serotonin tissue levels and a reduced serotonin turnover rate in most brain areas studied. Female FSL showed a distinct profile, consisting of decreased immobility latency, increased climbing duration, limited serotonergic deviations and no difference in the serotonin turnover rate in comparison with controls. Interestingly, despite baseline differences, clomipramine treatment reversed all relevant behavioural responses and increased the serotonin turnover rate in both sexes. However, the latter effect was remarkably more pronounced in females. It is concluded that, in this animal model of depression, chronic clomipramine treatment attenuated baseline sex differences in the phenotype while maintaining or intensifying the sex differentiation in the serotonergic endophenotype.

Mn5Ge3Cx films with x >= 0.5 were experimentally shown to exhibit a strongly enhanced Curie temperature T-C compared to Mn5Ge3. In this letter we present the results of our first principles calculations within Green's function approach, focusing on the effect of carbon doping on the electronic and magnetic properties of the Mn5Ge3. The calculated exchange coupling constants revealed an enhancement of the ferromagnetic Mn-Mn interactions mediated by carbon. The essentially increased T-C in Mn5Ge3C is well reproduced in our Monte Carlo simulations and together with the decrease of the total magnetization is found to be predominantly of an electronic nature.

The authors investigated the relation between social achievement goals (A. M. Ryan & S. S. Shim, 2006) and aspects of students' socio-emotional adjustment in a sample of elementary school students. Structural equation modeling analyses revealed that after controlling for levels of prosocial skills, a social development goal was positively related to perceived belongingness and negatively related to perceptions of loneliness at school. In contrast, a social demonstration-avoid goal was positively associated with perceptions of loneliness, whereas a social demonstration-approach goal was negatively associated with peer acceptance. Last, prosocial skills were positively related to students' peer acceptance, which was negatively associated with feelings of loneliness. The results and their implications on students' school adjustment are discussed within the social achievement goal framework.

Thyroid carcinoma usually presents as asymptomatic thyroid nodule. Thyroid cancer may show microscopic vascular invasion; however, internal jugular vein (IJV) invasion is a rare complication of thyroid cancer. We present a case of unilateral invasion of IJV caused by local nodal recurrence of the primary thyroid carcinoma. The patient had undergone a near total thyroidectomy, followed by modified left lymph node resection with left IJV resection. In this case, the infiltrated part of the right IJV was resected, and the vessel was reconstructed using saphenous vein autograft. In locally advanced, well-differentiated thyroid cancers, only the radical resection relieves symptoms and increases survival.

Wnt pathway signaling is crucial in many cancers and data indicate crosstalk with other key cancer pathways, however in urothelial carcinogenesis it has not been extensively studied. We searched for mutations in adenomatous polyposis coli (APC), a key regulator of the pathway, and studied b-catenin expression and interactions with the expression of other markers of apoptosis, angiogenesis, and proliferation in patients with invasive urothelial cancer. The mutation cluster region of APC was directly sequenced in 70 patients with muscle invasive disease who were treated with surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy. COX-2, p53, Ki67, and b-catenin were studied immunohistochemically and micro vessel density was quantified by CD105 expression. Single somatic amino-acid substitutions (missense) were found in 9 (13%) and frameshift deletions in 2 (3%) tumors, all located in regions adjacent to b-catenin binding sites. Patients having either APC missense mutations or b-catenin nuclear accumulation had less frequent COX-2 overexpression (24% vs. 76%, p = 0.043) and more frequent lymph node involvement (75% vs. 38%, p = 0.023). Patients with either APC mutations or b-catenin accumulation had shorter disease-free interval (13.4 vs. 28 months, p = 0.07), whereas in multivariate analysis they had shorter disease- specific survival (60.5 vs. 20.6 months, p = 0.048). Somatic APC missense mutations are not rare in advanced urothelial neoplasms. Either APC mutations and/or aberrant expression of b-catenin are associated with worse outcome. Further study of the role of the Wnt pathway, potential crosstalk with other pathways and potential candidate therapeutic targets in urothelial cancer is needed. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The paper presents a notional account of the challenges facing the introduction of English as an international lingua franca (ELF) curriculum in the state schools of the expanding circle, taking Greece as a case in point. It broadly delineates an ELF curriculum as one focusing on the skills necessary for carrying out successful communication involving non-native speakers and then highlights a set of challenges linked to both teaching context and teachers’ perceptions of professional identity. It focuses on challenges related to three facets of the professional identity of academically trained Greek state school EFL teachers, namely, their roles as users, specialists, and, ultimately, custodians of English for their learners and wider community. These facets are discussed with reference to a description of the country's current sociolinguistic and educational profile. The paper concludes with an overview of the strengths of an ELF curriculum for Greek state schools and discusses implications for ELF teacher education.

Από τα μέσα της δεκαετίας του 20΄ όλοι οι γηγενείς ελληνικοί θίασοι της Αμερικής συμπεριλαμβάνουν στο δραματολόγιο τους οπερέτες, κωμικές ή δραματικές. Την ίδια περίοδο στις αθηναϊκές σκηνές το ελαφρό θέατρο εκπροσωπείται από δεκάδες θιάσους και παράλληλα διώκεται από τους εκπροσώπους του «σοβαρού» θεάτρου. Αντίθετα στην Αμερική δεν προκύπτει διαμάχη και μάλιστα ακόμα και οι σοσιαλιστικοί θίασοι εντάσσουν στο ρεπερτόριο τους την οπερέτα. Οι θίασοι εμφανίζονται ευέλικτοι και εύκολα μεταπηδούν από το «ελαφρό» στο «σοβαρό» θέατρο, προσπαθώντας να ικανοποιήσουν το ευρύτερο κοινό. Τα έργα κοινωνικοπολιτικού προβληματισμού και «θεάτρου των ιδεών» δεν έβρισκαν απήχηση στην ομογένεια του χαμηλού μορφωτικού επιπέδου, κυρίως την δεκαετία του 1930. Επίσης τα περισσότερα δράματα των Ελλήνων δραματουργών πρόβαλαν διαρκώς το μοντέλο της συμβατικής αστικής οικογένειας προκαλώντας δυσαρέσκεια. Παράλληλα, η οικονομική ανέλιξη των μεταναστών απομάκρυνε το κοινό από τα «σοβαρά» έργα και απαιτούσε το νέο θεατρικό είδος να μην έχει διδακτικό χαρακτήρα και να αποσκοπά στην αβίαστη τέρψη του κοινού μέσω της μουσικής. Τα έργα των Νικόλαου Χατζηαποστόλου και Θεόφραστου Σακελλαρίδη γνώρισαν θριαμβευτική επιτυχία και κυριάρχησαν στις ελληνοαμερικανικές σκηνές. Ωστόσο η παραστατική παραγωγή των Ελλήνων καλλιτεχνών δεν ήταν δυνατόν να καλύψει τις ανάγκες των θιάσων και γι’ αυτό επιστρατεύτηκαν οι ξένες οπερέτες, κυρίως οι γαλλικές, βιεννέζικες και γερμανικές. Η μόδα της ελληνικής οπερέτας θα κρατήσει στην Αμερική έως τα τέλη της δεκαετίας του 1930.

The aim of the lab was to combine the theory of orthophony science with the empirical art of theatre education, just as it should be taught in primary education. Blending the science of phonetics and theatrical art constitutes an attractive methodology for the group to which it is addressed (age of reference 8-12 years old). The lab particularly focused on the practice –by means of theatrical games- of the theoretical base of Orthophony. Breathing: Benefits and ways of achieving breathing through the diaphragm. Vocalization: Structure and practice of phonetic organs, which are the organs that produce the sound. Articulation: Proper formation of phonemes and their practice. Those participating in the lab had the opportunity to learn the principles of Orthophony first on a theoretical level and then, on an empirical one; the final stage aimed at creating collective exercises, and its ulterior purpose was to apply them at school.

The highest deformation rate along the Africa/Eurasia convergence zone is welldocumented in the Aegean area, being >4 cm/yr. However, it is still under question whethercontinental deformation is distributed along major faults which extend through the wholelithosphere or over large areas. Furthermore, our knowledge concerning the implication oflithosphere-asthenosphere coupling in lithospheric plates driving forces is poor. Thesequestions can not easily be answered as most of the available information is mainly located ator close to the surface (geodesy, tectonics, seismicity). The high rates and type of surfacecontinental deformation within the Aegean constitute this region particularly interesting in thisperspective.This work is towards contributing to the better knowledge of the physical properties ofthe Aegean lithosphere by introducing experimental elastic and anelastic parameters inferredfrom long period Rayleigh wave. For this scope path-average phase velocities and attenuationcoefficients of fundamental Rayleigh wave crossing the Aegean were extracted over theperiod range 10-100 s. The wavetrains were recorded at the temporary broadband stationsinstalled some years ago in the Aegean region within the framework of a large scaleexperiment (SEISFAULTGREECE project).

The 2nd Canon of the 1st Ecumenical Synod, reads he 1 Tim 3:6 with the word "trap"῾ before the phrase "of the devil". An hermeneutical "deadlock" is now solved.The Canon is a credible "external witness" of the authentic biblical text. In the critical restoration of the holy text we follow the holisitc-rational approach. The real meaning of the particular verse, which is an excerpt of the Holy Scripture is revealed by an equally ῾holy῾ text, the second canon of the First Ecumenical Synod. Apart from the critical restoration, it is noted that the canon "repeats" 1 Tim 3:6 in order to introduce to the canonical corpus of the Church the prohibition of ordination of the recently baptised. We watch the canonical evolution of this prohibition, comparing this first canon with later canonical regulations, as well as, the semantic evolution of the word "neophytus" (=recently baptised). The word is recognized as terminus technicus in canon law, which includes every person who has recently abandoned secular life wishing to be ordained, or a recently ordained clergyman, which is not mature enough to ascend the hierarchy. We observe, that through time penal provisions become more lenient, however the categories of the subjects which are included in the ban expands.

The objective of this study is to find out the spatial and temporal variability of the dry and wet spells in Greece, during the period 1958-2007. The meteorological data with respect to daily precipitation totals were acquired from 27 meteorological stations of the Hellenic National Meteorological Service, which are uniformly distributed over the country. The dry spells concern consecutive dry days (CDD); the largest number of consecutive days with daily precipitation amount less than 1 mm, within a year. The wet spells concern consecutive wet days (CWD); the largest number of consecutive days with daily precipitation amount more than or equal to 1 mm, within a year, as defined by the Expert Team on Climate Change Detection and Indices (ETCCDI), jointly sponsored by the Commission for Climatology (CCl) of the World Meteorological Organization's (WMO) World Climate Data and Monitoring Programme (WCDMP), the Climate Variability and Predictability (CLIVAR) Programme of the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) and the Joint WMO-IOC Technical Commission for Oceanography and Marine Meteorology (JCOMM). As results from the analysis, the spatial distributions of the mean annual CDD and the mean annual CWD along with their trends, within the examined period, are presented. The findings indicate that CDD obtain maxima in the Cyclades Islands and the southeastern Aegean Sea, while minima are found in the northwestern Greece. On the contrary, the longest CWD are observed in western Greece and western part of Crete Island and the shortest in the eastern continental Greece and in the majority of the Aegean Sea. On an annual basis, the temporal variability of CWD shows statistically significant (confidence level of 95%) negative trends, mainly in the western region of Greece, while insignificant positive trends for CDD appear almost all over the country with emphasis in the southeastern region. Finally, in order to interpret the drier and wetter periods within the examined period, the 850 hPa and the 500 hPa geopotential height (m) composites of the anomalies from 1958-1996 climatological normal (clino), are analysed using the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) reanalysis data. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The objective of this study is to find out the spatial and temporal variability of the dry and wet spells in Greece, during the period 1958-2007. The meteorological data with respect to daily precipitation totals were acquired from 27 meteorological stations of the Hellenic National Meteorological Service, which are uniformly distributed over the country. The dry spells concern consecutive dry days (CDD); the largest number of consecutive days with daily precipitation amount less than 1 mm, within a year. The wet spells concern consecutive wet days (CWD); the largest number of consecutive days with daily precipitation amount more than or equal to 1 mm, within a year, as defined by the Expert Team on Climate Change Detection and Indices (ETCCDI), jointly sponsored by the Commission for Climatology (CCl) of the World Meteorological Organization's (WMO) World Climate Data and Monitoring Programme (WCDMP), the Climate Variability and Predictability (CLIVAR) Programme of the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) and the Joint WMO-IOC Technical Commission for Oceanography and Marine Meteorology (JCOMM). As results from the analysis, the spatial distributions of the mean annual CDD and the mean annual CWD along with their trends, within the examined period, are presented. The findings indicate that CDD obtain maxima in the Cyclades Islands and the southeastern Aegean Sea, while minima are found in the northwestern Greece. On the contrary, the longest CWD are observed in western Greece and western part of Crete Island and the shortest in the eastern continental Greece and in the majority of the Aegean Sea. On an annual basis, the temporal variability of CWD shows statistically significant (confidence level of 95%) negative trends, mainly in the western region of Greece, while insignificant positive trends for CDD appear almost all over the country with emphasis in the southeastern region. Finally, in order to interpret the drier and wetter periods within the examined period, the 850 hPa and the 500 hPa geopotential height (m) composites of the anomalies from 1958-1996 climatological normal (clino), are analysed using the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) reanalysis data. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

This study explores the influence of air gaseous pollutants-aerosols and solar zenith angle (SZA) on the spectral diffuse-to-direct beam Edλ/Ebλ irradiances ratio. It does so using ground-based spectroradiometric measurements taken over the Athens atmosphere during May 1995. It was found that the spectral Edλ/Ebλ ratio decreases rapidly with increasing wavelength and regression curves of the form EEdλ/Ebλ = aλ-b fitted the experimental data. These curves are strongly modified by aerosols-air pollutants, aerosol optical properties, and SZA. The log-log plot of Edλ/Ebλ versus λ reveals a significant departure from linearity, which is likely to be associated with aerosol physical properties and SZA effects. The effect of atmospheric turbidity, as expressed through the aerosol optical at 500 nm and SZA on the spectral Edλ/ Ebλ ratio, is investigated in detail for two discernible atmospheric conditions observed in the urban Athens atmosphere. The first case includes different atmospheric turbidity levels under the same SZA, while the second corresponds to different SZA values under the same turbidity levels. It was found that the correlation between Edλ/Ebλ and spectral aerosol optical depth can be a useful tool in determining the aerosol optical properties and aerosol types composition. © Springer-Verlag 2009.

Context: A recent survey of the Local Group spiral galaxy M 31 with XMM-Newton yielded a large number of X-ray sources. Aims: This is the second in a series of papers with the aim of identifying the optical counterparts of these X-ray sources. Methods: We have obtained optical spectra for 21 bright optical counterparts of 20 X-ray sources in the direction of M 31, using the 1.3-m Skinakas telescope in Crete, Greece. Results: For 17 of the 20 X-ray sources, we have identified the optical counterpart as a normal late type star (of type F or later) in the foreground (i.e. in the Milky Way). For two more sources, there were two possible optical counterparts, in each case, while two more objects have X-ray properties that are not compatible with the spectral characteristics of late type non-flaring stars.

Using Chandra, XMM-Newton and optical photometric and spectroscopic catalogs we study the young (<100 Myr) X-ray binary populations of the Small Magellanic Cloud, which at ˜60 kpc is our second nearest star-forming galaxy. In particular, we investigate the importance of Be/X-ray binaries as a dominant component of young X-ray binary populations, based on a study of the connection between X-ray source populations and their parent stellar populations. We find that a significant number of Be/X-ray binaries and/or pulsars are connected with a burst of star formation ˜25-60 Myr ago, while regions with weak star-formation rate at ˜42 Myr, such as the SMC Wing, are deficient in Be/X-ray binaries. We argue that the very strong similarity between the age of maximum occurence of Be stars and the age of the parent populations of X-ray binaries in the Small Magellanic Cloud indicates that the Be phenomenon plays a significant role in the number of X-ray binary populations in this age range. Finally, based on the spatial correlation between the star-formation activity and the X-ray binaries, we set a limit on their kick velocity of ˜15-20 km/s, while there is strong indication for velocities of even a factor of two lower, and we estimate a Be/X-ray binary production rate of ˜1 system per 10^{-6} M_{⊙}/yr.

Background: Renal cell carcinoma is associated with a wide spectrum of para-neoplastic syndromes, which may be precursors of primary or recurrent disease. Non-metastatic hepatic dysfunction in patients suffering from renal cell carcinoma is known as Stauffer's syndrome. It is associated with the production of cytokines by the tumour, and several biochemical abnormalities, including elevated serum alkaline phosphatase. Case presentation: We describe a 36-year-old woman presenting with various non-specific, systemic disease manifestations, and elevated liver enzymes due to cholestasis as the main laboratory abnormality. Imaging studies showed a solid mass in the left kidney, which, after surgical excision, was identified as renal cell carcinoma. No metastasis was found. Conclusion: Stauffer syndrome may precede other manifestations of renal cell carcinoma. In case of unexplained abnormal liver function, particularly in presence of systemic symptoms, underlying renal cell carcinoma should be excluded by focused investigations. © 2009 Kranidiotis et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Stress increases associative learning and the density of dendritic spines in the hippocampus of male rats. In contrast, exposure to the same stressor impairs associative learning and reduces spine density in females. These effects in females are most evident when they are in the proestrus phase of the estrous cycle. An injection of testosterone at the time of birth masculinizes the female brain. In adulthood, masculinized females respond like males do to stress, i.e. they learn better. Here, we hypothesized that stress would increase spine densities on pyramidal neurons in area CA1 of the hippocampus of masculinized females, because stress enhances learning ability in both males and masculinized females. To test this, we used Golgi impregnation to stain tissue from masculinized and cycling females that were exposed to an acute stressor and sacrificed 1 day later. There was a significant interaction between stressor exposure and testosterone treatment at birth (p<0.001). In general, cycling females that were stressed tended to possess fewer spines on apical and basal dendrites in the CA1 area of the hippocampus, whereas the masculinized females possessed significantly more spines after the stressor. These findings underscore the plastic nature of dendritic spines. They suggest that their response to stress in adulthood is organized by the presence of testosterone during very early development. Such a process may represent a mechanism for altering learning abilities after an acute traumatic experience.

Light and scanning electron microscopy as well as histochemical reactions were employed to investigate the leaf structure and secretory activity of an adventive perennial pest that is rapidly dispersing in the Mediterranean region. Interesting structural characteristics, not common among the well-adapted native Mediterranean phanerophytes, were observed. Although 'unconventional', these structural characteristics produce an ecologically equivalent, xeromorphic leaf on a plant that proves to be competitive and very efficient under the Mediterranean climatic conditions. © CSIRO 2009.

This chapter describes the study of the structural control of the Meganissi island coastal zone and its geomorphological evolution; based on these, it presents a coastal hazard risk map. 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 created in GIS. using all data deriving from the above characteristics as well as from detailed fieldwork, aerial photos, satellite images and pre-existing maps. Data were analysed and processed in order to understand the geomorphological evolution of this island and its close connection with the structural evolution. Finally, we proceeded to develop a coastal hazard risk map using the slope gradient, the wave energy and the structural characteristics of this island as input variables. This has been achieved via a fuzzy inferences model using a loosen coupling between the Mat lab software package and the MapInfo GIS.

The SLC24A5 gene, the human orthologue of the zebrafish golden gene, has been shown to play a key role in human pigmentation. In this study, we investigate the prevalence of the variant allele rs1426654 in a selected sample of Greek subjects. Allele-specific polymerase chain reaction was performed in peripheral blood samples from 158 attendants of a dermatology outpatient service. The results were correlated with pigmentary traits and MC1R genotype. The vast majority of subjects (99%) were homozygous for the Thr(111) allele. Only two subjects from the control group (1.26%) were heterozygous for the alanine and threonine allele. Both of these Thr(111)/Ala(111) heterozygotes carried a single polymorphism of MC1R (one with the V92M variant and another with the V60L variant). Following reports of the rs1426654 polymorphism reaching fixation in the European population, our study of Greek subjects showed a prevalence of the Thr(111) allele, even among subjects with darker skin pigmentation or phototype.

The main objectives of this study are to identify, classify and map the badlands area, as well as to identify the underlain soil types and determine the connection between badlands and climatic changes during Quaternary. The area along the southern coast of the Central Corinth graben, near the town of Derveni (North Peloponese) was chosen as a case study, since extended erosion landforms display geomorphological characteristics, typical of badlands. The area is built up by Plio-Quaternary lacustrine clays with intercalations of distal parts of the fan deltas deposits and records an intensive structural elevation from Pliocene until today. The study focuses on the main factors that contributed in the formation and evolution of badlands in the area, with strong emphasis on geological structure, climatic and sea-level changes and human activity, as well as on the interaction of these factors. It concludes in a geomorphological map with the badlands distribution and discusses the impacts on land degradation and the possible actions against further expansion

This chapter studies the counteractive dynamic marine and river environments responsible for a river mouth’s and a delta’s modulation. The Acheloos River (West Greece) was chosen as the case study due to the recent changes taken place in its Delta area; the geotechnical constructions and the agricultural planning have altered the basin’s conditions. The aim of this study is to analyze the present dominant environment and the impact of human activity on this balance with the application of modern technological tools; emphasis is placed on the geomorphological along with the land use changes taking place in the three district parts of the Acheloos’ delta within a period of four decades (1960–2000): delta plain, delta front, pro delta. Bibliographic references, geographical and geological maps, aerial and satellite imagery of different seasons and dates, were utilized in addition to extensive fieldwork measurements and mapping. A geographic database was developed and it is continuously updated.

Measurements of positive and negative small atmospheric ion concentrations have been made regularly since 1968 at the National Observatory of Athens (NOA). In this paper the 17-year period 1968-1984 is summarized. The diurnal and annual variations are examined, and Fourier analysis is also used for the study of the diurnal variation. The concentrations of small ions follow a double diurnal course. The maxima occur near 3-5 h and 13-16 h local time (LT = GMT + 2 h). The minima are observed at 6-8 h and 21-23 h. The annual course of small ions presents maximum concentration values around the summer season. The mean of the small ion concentration (SIC) for the 17-year period (1968-1984) is n+ = 188.8 ions/cm3 for positive ions and n- = 151.1 ions/cm3 for negative ions. Their ratio is equal to 1.25. The year-to-year variation of SIC for the examined period shows a negative trend. The results from multiple regression analysis show that wind speed and SIC are positively correlated, while relative humidity, smoke and sulphur dioxide are negatively correlated. © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Measurements of positive and negative small atmospheric ion concentrations have been made regularly since 1968 at the National Observatory of Athens (NOA). In this paper the 17-year period 1968-1984 is summarized. The diurnal and annual variations are examined, and Fourier analysis is also used for the study of the diurnal variation. The concentrations of small ions follow a double diurnal course. The maxima occur near 3-5 h and 13-16 h local time (LT = GMT + 2 h). The minima are observed at 6-8 h and 21-23 h. The annual course of small ions presents maximum concentration values around the summer season. The mean of the small ion concentration (SIC) for the 17-year period (1968-1984) is n+ = 188.8 ions/cm3 for positive ions and n- = 151.1 ions/cm3 for negative ions. Their ratio is equal to 1.25. The year-to-year variation of SIC for the examined period shows a negative trend. The results from multiple regression analysis show that wind speed and SIC are positively correlated, while relative humidity, smoke and sulphur dioxide are negatively correlated. © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The presence of CD3+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) has been found to correlate with improved survival in epithelial ovarian cancer, but the association of TIL subpopulations with clinical outcome remains controversial. We performed a prospective analysis of TIL subpopulations from patients with epithelial ovarian cancer and their activation status and studied their association with prognosis. Methods: Flow cytometric analysis was performed on TIL subpopulations isolated from 45 fresh ovarian tumor specimens, obtained during surgery, after mechanical dissociation and enzymatic degradation. Vascular endothelial growth factor and tumor necrosis factor α levels in ascites and serum were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Significantly increased numbers of CD56+ cells (natural killer and natural killerYlike T cells; P = 0.045), activated CD4 +HLA-DR+ cells (P = 0.046), and activated CD8 +CD25+ cells (P = 0.028) were found in serous and endometrioid carcinomas compared with mucinous and clear cell carcinomas. A high percentage of CD4+CD25hi cells (regulatory T cells) and activated CD4+HLA-DR+ cells significantly associated with improved median overall survival (not reached vs 35 months [P = 0.0241] and not reached vs 35 months [P = 0.0144], respectively) and median progression-free survival (30 months vs 14 months [P = 0.0819] and 30 months vs 13 months [P = 0.0479], respectively). Vascular endothelial growth factor ascites levels were inversely correlated with CD14+ (ρ = -0.529, P = 0.001), whereas HLA-DR8+CD8 lymphocytes were inversely correlated with both ascites and serum vascular endothelial growth factor levels (ρ = -0.494, P = 0.006, and ρ = -0.586, P = 0.037, respectively). Conclusions: The presence of regulatory T cells and activated CD4+ cells within the tumor microenvironment is associated with improved overall and progression-free survival in patients with ovarian cancer. Coyright © 2009 by IGCS and ESGO.

The present contribution examines the various geomorphological, sedimentological and coastal hydrodymamic conditions that are related to the present erosive situation along the broader coastal area of the N/NW coast of Samos Island. The extended erosion, particularly evident during the past 2-3 decades, is attributed to the rise of sea level (>10 cm over the past 100 years according to IPCC report of 2007) in conjunction with the incoming relatively high wave energy, which favouring the offshore transfer of fine-grained beach material. In addition, the various man-made constructions either inhibit the terrigenous sediment fluxes to reach the coast and/or by altering coastal hydrodynamics contribute to erosion. Finally, the existed defence constructions seem to have served only to the stabilisation of the coastline and not to its natural recovery.

In this paper, we challenge the left-dislocation analysis of preverbal subjects in Greek on the basis of interpretative, syntactic and prosodic evidence. We propose that the derivation of subjects in Greek involves a movement operation which targets an EPP Spec,TP position. This movement operation creates a sequence of copies, the pronunciation and interpretation of which hinges on certain PF and LF requirements. Crucially, the linearization of this sequence of copies on the basis of independently existent PF principles derives the surface distribution of Greek subjects and accounts for its possible patterns of variation.

OBJECTIVE: Skin cancer campaigns have only recently been implemented in a wide scale in Greece. In order to better target those individuals at risk, we aimed to explore sun exposure behaviors in a sample of the Greek population. METHODS: A total of 802 subjects, randomly selected among the residents of the two largest Greek cities, underwent a questionnaire-based telephone interview, assessing the degree of sun exposure patterns and knowledge of skin cancer risk factors. RESULTS: Females more commonly (90%) used sunscreens compared with males (67.5%), and among sunscreen users, only 8% used products with SPF <10. Almost half of the participants (48%) preferred going to the beach during the midday hours. Over exposure to the sun was mostly reported by individuals with phototypes III/IV and of younger age (18-35 years). Most participants were aware of sun exposure as a cause of skin cancer, but among those who did not, 41% were younger than 34 years of age. CONCLUSIONS: In our survey, significant differences in age, sex and phototypes were observed with regard to sun exposure patterns and sunscreen use. Educational campaigns should focus more on younger age groups, encouraging a more complete set of photoprotective measures. However, potential trial limitations inherent in self-reported measures should be taken into account.

Sunitinib is approved for the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC). No data are available on sunitinib use specifically in patients with significantly impaired renal function. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of sunitinib in patients with advanced RCC and Grade 4 renal function impairment. Four patients had a calculated creatinine clearance of 15 - 29 ml/min/1.73 m2 prior to initiation of sunitinib. Three patients tolerated treatment well with no renal toxicity: 2 received 17 and 5 cycles of sunitinib at full dose, while 1 received 5 cycles with a dose reduction due to myelotoxicity. We observed one partial response and two patients had stable disease for 24 and 4 months, respectively. The 4th patient had a creatinine clearance of 18 ml/min/1.73 m2 and had treatment discontinued during the first cycle due to poorly controlled hypertension and deterioration of his renal function. We conclude that sunitinib can be administered to the majority of patients with RCC and significant renal function impairment. © 2009 Dustri-Verlag Dr. K. Feistle.

The "Supercritical Pile" is a very economical gamma-ray burst (GRB) model that provides for the efficient conversion of the energy stored in the protons of a relativistic blast wave (RBW) into radiation and at the same time produces—in the prompt GRB phase, even in the absence of any particle acceleration—a spectral peak at energy ~1MeV. We extend this model to include the evolution of the RBW Lorentz factor Γ and thus follow its spectral and temporal features into the early GRB afterglow stage. One of the novel features of the present treatment is the inclusion of the feedback of the GRB produced radiation on the evolution of Γ with radius. This feedback and the presence of kinematic and dynamic thresholds in the model are sources of potentially very rich time evolution which we have began to explore. In particular, one can this way obtain afterglow light curves with steep decays followed by the more conventional flatter afterglow slopes, while at the same time preserving the desirable features of the model, i.e., the well-defined relativistic electron source and radiative processes that produce the proper peak in the νF ν spectra. In this Letter, we present the results of a specific set of parameters of this model with emphasis on the multiwavelength prompt emission and transition to the early afterglow.

We systematically surveyed period variations of superhumps in SU UMa-type dwarf novae based on newly obtained data and past publications. In many systems, the evolution of the superhump period is found to be composed of three distinct stages: an early evolutionary stage with a longer superhump period, a middle stage with systematically varying periods, and a final stage with a shorter, stable superhump period. During the middle stage, many systems with superhump periods of less than 0.08 d show positive period derivatives. We present observational characteristics of these stages and give greatly improved statistics. Contrary to an earlier claim, we found no clear evidence for a variation of period derivatives among different superoutbursts of the same object. We present an interpretation that the lengthening of the superhump period is a result of the outward propagation of an eccentricity wave, which is limited by the radius near the tidal truncation. We interpret that late-stage superhumps are rejuvenated excitation of a 3:1 resonance when superhumps in the outer disk are effectively quenched. The general behavior of the period variation, particularly in systems with short orbital periods, appears to follow a scenario proposed in Kato, Maehara, and Monard (2008, PASJ, 60, L23). We also present an observational summary of WZ Sge-type dwarf novae. Many of them have shown long-enduring superhumps during a post-superoutburst stage having longer periods than those during the main superoutburst. The period derivatives in WZ Sge-type dwarf novae are found to be strongly correlated with the fractional superhump excess, or consequently with the mass ratio. WZ Sge-type dwarf novae with a long-lasting rebrightening or with multiple rebrightenings tend to have smaller period derivatives, and are excellent candidates for those systems around or after the period minimum of evolution of cataclysmic variables.

Background/Aims: Cell membranes facilitate the transport of water, ions, and necessary nutrients by hosting a great variety of transport channels that have either a 'simple' pore-like structure or more complex architecture that is based on the utilization of specific receptors. The present study reveals the impact of AgNO3, a well-known inhibitor of water channel activity, on transport channels that emerge at the membrane of intact red blood cells (iRBCs). Methods: Atomic force microscopy is employed to survey the morphological modification of all transport channels by directly comparing the respective images obtained on the exact same iRBCs prior to and after spraying the AgNO3 solution. Results: Small pores of mean size 50 nm that were assigned to water channels, and extended orifices of mean size 300 nm that exhibit a neck-like extracellular segment were observed at the iRBC membrane. Conclusion: Our results reveal that AgNO3 exerts noticeable influence on all transport channels so that its selective water channel inhibitory action should be reconsidered. For low AgNO3 concentrations extended recovery of the small pore network was observed upon waiting, giving strong evidence that iRBCs have a recovery potential upon simply removing the inhibition cause without the need for specific reducing agents. Copyright (C) 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel

Air pollution episodes in urban coastal areas follow certain pre-determined patterns, being associated with certain local meteorological conditions and emission of primary pollutants. In this study, the synoptic and local scale atmospheric circulation that prevails during air pollution episodes in a coastal major city in Greece, Thessaloniki, is examined for a period of 15 years (1989-2004). The study signifies the importance of studying air pollution meteorological patterns between coastal areas with different terrain characteristics. For Thessaloniki, it was found that the episodes occur mainly during the cold period of the year, while four types of synoptic scale circulation were recognized (I, II, III, IV) and five patterns of the local scale circulation (A1, A2, B1, B2 and B3). The highest percentage of episodes is associated with the presence of an anticyclone over the northern Greece (types I and IV), being characterized by weak or very weak surface pressure gradient intensity, according to the position and extension of the anticyclone. Moreover, a temperature increase of at least 1°C during the previous 3 days is required in the lower troposphere. Consistent with the synoptic conditions, the development of the sea breeze plays a crucial role in the occurrence of the episodes, even in the cold period of the year, when the sea breeze can still develop with smaller frequency and intensity. Finally, it was found that a small number of episodes is related with the advection of polluted air masses from the industrial area in the northwest of the city and from the Eordaia area in the west, which is the largest lignite producing area of Balkans. © Springer-Verlag 2008.

The reaction of RhCl3·3H2O with the ligand L = 2-(2′-pyridyl)quinoxaline (pqo) in a 1:2 molar ratio formed the mononuclear complex cis-[RhL2Cl2]Cl (1), which has been characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR, FT-Raman, 1H, 13C NMR, electronic absorption spectroscopy and by electrospray mass spectrometry. The molecular structure of 1 (needle like and prismatic polymorphs) in the crystal has been elucidated by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, revealing a bidentate behavior of L, while the geometry around the Rh(III) atom is that of a distorted octahedron.. Preliminary biological tests revealed that this compound inhibited PAF-induced rabbit platelet aggregation. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A range of complexes of the binucleating tetrathio- and tetraseleno-ether ligands, 1,2,4,5-C6H2(CH2EMe)4 (E = S, L3 or Se, L4) or C(CH2EMe)4 (E = S, L5 or Se, L6) and of bidentate analogues 1,2-C6H2(CH2EMe)2 (E = S, L1 or Se = L2) with molybdenum and tungsten carbonyls and manganese carbonyl chloride have been prepared, and characterised by IR and multinuclear NMR (1H, 13C{1H}, 77Se, 55Mn, 95Mo) spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Crystal structures are reported for [Mo(CO)4(L2)], [Mo(CO)4(L3)], [Mo(CO)4(μ-L3)Mo(CO)4], [Mo(CO)4(L4)], [Mn(CO)3Cl(μ-L3)Mn(CO)3Cl], [Mo(CO)4(μ-L5)Mo(CO)4], [Mn(CO)3Cl(L5)] and two forms (containing meso and DL diastereoisomers) of [W(CO)4(L5)]. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

We present self-consistent global steady state MHD models and synthetic optically thin synchrotron emission maps for the jet of M87. The model consists of two distinct zones: an inner relativistic outflow, which we identify with the observed jet, and an outer cold disk wind. While the former does not self-collimate efficiently due to its high effective inertia, the latter fulfills all the conditions for efficient collimation by the magnetocentrifugal mechanism. Given the right balance between the effective inertia of the inner flow and the collimation efficiency of the outer disk wind, the relativistic flow is magnetically confined into a well-collimated beam and matches the measurements of the opening angle of M87 over several orders of magnitudes in spatial extent. The synthetic synchrotron maps reproduce the morphological structure of the jet of M87, i.e., center bright profiles near the core and limb bright profiles away from the core. At the same time, they also show a local increase of brightness at some distance along the axis associated with a recollimation shock in the MHD model. Its location coincides with the position of the optical knot HST-1. In addition, our best fitting model is consistent with a number of observational constraints such as the magnetic field in the knot HST-1 and the jet-to-counterjet brightness ratio.

We present self-consistent global steady state MHD models and synthetic optically thin synchrotron emission maps for the jet of M87. The model consists of two distinct zones: an inner relativistic outflow, which we identify with the observed jet, and an outer cold disk wind. While the former does not self-collimate efficiently due to its high effective inertia, the latter fulfills all the conditions for efficient collimation by the magnetocentrifugal mechanism. Given the right balance between the effective inertia of the inner flow and the collimation efficiency of the outer disk wind, the relativistic flow is magnetically confined into a well-collimated beam and matches the measurements of the opening angle of M87 over several orders of magnitudes in spatial extent. The synthetic synchrotron maps reproduce the morphological structure of the jet of M87, i.e., center bright profiles near the core and limb bright profiles away from the core. At the same time, they also show a local increase of brightness at some distance along the axis associated with a recollimation shock in the MHD model. Its location coincides with the position of the optical knot HST-1. In addition, our best fitting model is consistent with a number of observational constraints such as the magnetic field in the knot HST-1 and the jet-to-counterjet brightness ratio.

Background: Muscle adaptation which occurs following eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage has been associated with an acute inflammatory response. The purpose of this study was to investigate serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), osteoprotegerin and receptor activator of nuclear factor kB ligand (OPG/RANKL) concentrations following muscle damage. We measured changes for several days following muscle damage. Methods: Ten healthy young males performed an eccentric exercise protocol using their quadriceps. Blood samples were withdrawn before and at 6 h, 2 days, 5 days and 16 days post-exercise. Functional and clinical measurements were performed before, and on days 1, 2, 5, 8, 12 and 16 post-exercise. Results: The exercise protocol resulted in muscle damage, indicated by changes in biochemical markers. An increase in IL-6 and OPG, and a decrease in RANKL concentrations were seen at 6 h and on day 2 post-exercise; the OPG:RANKL ratio was increased at 6 h post-exercise (p<0.05). Conclusions: Changes in IL-6 and OPG/RANKL system may represent systemic responses in muscle inflammation and repair processes. However, further studies are needed to elucidate a potential systemic and/or local role of the OPG/RANKL system in skeletal muscle repair. © 2009 by Walter de Gruyter.

Background: Muscle adaptation which occurs following eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage has been associated with an acute inflammatory response. The purpose of this study was to investigate serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), osteoprotegerin and receptor activator of nuclear factor kB ligand (OPG/RANKL) concentrations following muscle damage. We measured changes for several days following muscle damage. Methods: Ten healthy young males performed an eccentric exercise protocol using their quadriceps. Blood samples were withdrawn before and at 6 h, 2 days, 5 days and 16 days post-exercise. Functional and clinical measurements were performed before, and on days 1, 2, 5, 8, 12 and 16 post-exercise. Results: The exercise protocol resulted in muscle damage, indicated by changes in biochemical markers. An increase in IL-6 and OPG, and a decrease in RANKL concentrations were seen at 6 h and on day 2 post-exercise; the OPG:RANKL ratio was increased at 6 h post-exercise (p<0.05). Conclusions: Changes in IL-6 and OPG/RANKL system may represent systemic responses in muscle inflammation and repair processes. However, further studies are needed to elucidate a potential systemic and/or local role of the OPG/RANKL system in skeletal muscle repair. © 2009 by Walter de Gruyter.

Background: Muscle adaptation which occurs following eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage has been associated with an acute inflammatory response. The purpose of this study was to investigate serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), osteoprotegerin and receptor activator of nuclear factor kB ligand (OPG/RANKL) concentrations following muscle damage. We measured changes for several days following muscle damage. Methods: Ten healthy young males performed an eccentric exercise protocol using their quadriceps. Blood samples were withdrawn before and at 6 h, 2 days, 5 days and 16 days post-exercise. Functional and clinical measurements were performed before, and on days 1, 2, 5, 8, 12 and 16 post-exercise. Results: The exercise protocol resulted in muscle damage, indicated by changes in biochemical markers. An increase in IL-6 and OPG, and a decrease in RANKL concentrations were seen at 6 h and on day 2 post-exercise; the OPG:RANKL ratio was increased at 6 h post-exercise (p<0.05). Conclusions: Changes in IL-6 and OPG/RANKL system may represent systemic responses in muscle inflammation and repair processes. However, further studies are needed to elucidate a potential systemic and/or local role of the OPG/RANKL system in skeletal muscle repair. © 2009 by Walter de Gruyter.

Weathering formations resembling small caves, known by the name of Tafoni, are a characteristic, but not exclusive, feature of the Mediterranean area. Examples of such geomorphological formations have been recorded in Sardinia and Corsica (Klaer, 1956; Frenzel, 1965), in Tuscany (Martini, 1978), in S. Spain (Mellor et al., 1997) and in the Aegean Sea area (Greece) (Riedl, 1991; Hejl, 2005).

We report a thorough theoretical study of the optical response of two- and three-dimensional periodic assemblies of metallic nanorods by means of full-electrodynamic calculations using the extended layer-multiple-scattering method. We show that these systems support various types of resonant- and bound-collective plasmon modes, which are tunable over a broad spectral range, and provide a consistent interpretation of the underlying physics. In particular, we reveal the existence of slab plasmon modes with zero group velocity, which can cause evanescent-wave enhancement and enable subwavelength imaging. We discuss extinction spectra of single-layer and multilayer slabs of nanorods in conjunction with relevant complex band-structure diagrams and present a rigorous analysis of the results using group theory. Moreover, we explain some peculiar spectral features which are due to the existence of surface resonances. These can modify the optical response of the system in a controllable manner by using a supporting substrate.

Increasing knowledge of the biology of multiple myeloma led the way for the development of novel drugs that have changed the management of the disease. New treatments target not only to the malignant plasma cell but also target the interactions of myeloma cells with their microenvironment. Several preclinical studies have identified potential targets and drugs are developed that act on pathways crucial for myeloma cell survival, proliferation, migration and drug resistance. The identification of active agents in the laboratory is followed by rationally designed clinical studies that validate these drugs, either as single agents or in combinations with other active drugs. These novel agents may be either small molecules or monoclonal antibodies targeting receptors, kinase activity of receptors or key molecules within critical pathways, intracellular maintenance mechanisms and immune modulation. © 2009 Springer-Verlag.

The contraction-relaxation cycle of muscle cells translates into large movements of several filament systems in sarcomeres, requiring special molecular mechanisms to maintain their structural integrity. Recent structural and functional data from three filaments harboring extensive arrays of immunoglobulin-like domains - titin, filamin and myomesin--have, for the first time, unraveled a common function of their terminal domains: assembly and anchoring of the respective filaments. In each case, the protein-protein interactions are mediated by antiparallel dimerization modules via intermolecular beta-sheets. These observations on terminal filament assembly indicate an attractive model for several other filament proteins that require structural characterization.

The blazar OJ 287 has produced two major optical outburst events during the years 2005-2008. These are the latest in a series of outbursts that have occurred repeatedly at 12 year intervals since early 1900s. It has been possible to explain the historical light curve fairly well by using a binary black hole model where the secondary black hole impacts the accretion disk of the primary twice during the 12 year orbital cycle. We will ask here how well does the latest light-curve fit with this model. We use a 10 million particle disk to model the accretion disk of the primary black hole. The rate of transfer of particles through the 10 Schwarzschild radius cylinder around the primary is followed. The secondary induces an inward flow through this surface. The inward flow rate is compared with the historical light curve as well as with the most recent observations reported in this paper. The observations have been carried out by using a number of small and medium size telescopes in different locations in order to ensure a dense light-curve coverage. The "inflow light curve" and the optical light curve of OJ 287 have a close resemblance to each other. It suggests that the tidally induced accretion flow is responsible for the main features of the optical light curve, with the exception of the quasi-periodic double peaks. It implies a close connection between the accretion disk and the jet where the optical synchrotron emission is presumably generated.

The timing of tectonic emplacement of the ophiolites is analyzed in the four oceanic terranes of the Hellenides (H2, H4, H6, H8). The criteria for this analysis are based on: a) the post-emplacement sedimentary cover or intrusive rocks, b) the syn-emplacement tectonostratigraphic formations and c) the youngest rocks involved in the structure of the autochthon and the allochthon unit in each case. The timing becomes younger towards the more external tectonic units of the Hellenides with: (i) Late Eocene-Oligocene age in the external ophiolite belt of the Pindos-Cyclades oceanic terrane H2, (ii) Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous age in the internal ophiolite belt of the Vardar/Axios oceanic terrane H4 , (iii) Post-Liassic-pre-Late Jurassic age in the ophiolites of Lesvos-Circum Rhodope oceanic terrane H6 and (iv) Pre-Late Jurassic age in the ophiolites of Volvi-Eastern Rhodope terrane H8. An ophiolite obduction model can be applied, with the ophiolitic nappes always emplaced on top of pre-Alpine continental terranes with Mesozoic shallow-water carbonate platforms. The geometry of the continental terranes drifting during the Mesozoic within the Tethys Ocean controls the number and dimensions of the Tethyan oceanic basins. Where a continental terrane dies out, the two adjacent oceanic basins merge into one larger basin. This seems to be the case of the Pelagonian terrane (H3), which is terminated north of Skopje, where the Pindos oceanic basin (H2) merges with the Vardar/Axios oceanic basin (H4).

Abstract  Fusion cross sections are extracted for the $^7$Li + $^{28}$Si system, via reaction cross section and transfer measurements at sub- and near-barrier energies ( E$_{lab}$ = 5.7 to 14 MeV). The energy evolution of transfer to reaction cross section ratios is determined with the aid of CDCC calculations, which subsequently allows the deduction of fusion cross sections at sub- and near-barrier energies. It is shown that fusion can be well represented in a BPM context. Fusion cross sections are compared for the systems $^7$Li + $^{28}$Si and $^6$Li + $^{28}$Si, the latter studied previously, and are found to exhibit different strengths. Last, the direct channels determined at 13 MeV, are found to be dominated by a 2n-transfer mechanism.

Recently there has been increasing interest of scientists forthe performance of singing or reciting voices of the past inutilising analysis-synthesis methods. In the domain ofAncient Greek musicology indeed, where we find theroots of the occidental music, the main research has beendone mostly by scholars of classical Greek literature.However there is still is a vast territory for research inaudio performances to be carried out with the help of newdigital technologies.In this paper, we will present an attempt to decode arecited text of Ancient Greek tragedy and render it intosound. At the first paragraph of this article we underlinethe origin of music arising from the melodicity of speechin Ancient Greek tragedy. In the second paragraph, wedescribe the methodology we have used in order toanalyse the voice of S. Psaroudak&s, himself professor ofAncient Greek music, by an open source prosodic featureextraction tool based on Praat. We give a description ofthe prosodic analysis, implementation details and discussits feature extension capabilities as well. Last, we refer tothe difference between the Ancient and Modern Greekphonological system, the application of this research inmusic and further development.

We review recent progress in the realm of ultra-slow and stored light inside metamaterial waveguides. We elucidate a number of critical issues pertaining to the study of light propagation in various slowlight metamaterial structures. © 2008 Optical Society of America.

We review recent progress in the realm of ultra-slow and stored light inside metamaterial waveguides. We elucidate a number of critical issues pertaining to the study of light propagation in various slowlight metamaterial structures. © 2008 Optical Society of America.

We review recent progress in the realm of ultra-slow and stored light inside metamaterial waveguides. We elucidate a number of critical issues pertaining to the study of light propagation in various slow-light metamaterial structures. ©2008 Optical Society of America.

UNLABELLED: Although acute management of pelvic fractures and their long-term functional outcome have been widely documented, important information regarding malunion and nonunion of these fractures is sparse. Despite their relative rarity, malunions and nonunions cause disabling symptoms and have major socioeconomic implications. We analyzed the factors predisposing a pelvic injury to develop malunion/nonunion, the clinical presentation of these complications, and the efficacy of the reported operative protocols in 437 malunions/nonunions of 25 clinical studies. Treatment of these demanding complications appeared effective in the majority of the cases: overall union rates averaged 86.1%, pain relief as much as 93%, patient satisfaction 79%, and return to a preinjury level of activities 50%. Nevertheless, the patient should be informed about the incidence of perioperative complications, including neurologic injury (5.3%), symptomatic vein thrombosis (5.0%), pulmonary embolism (1.9%), and deep wound infection (1.6%). For a successful outcome, a thorough preoperative plan and methodical operative intervention are essential. In establishing effective evidence-based future clinical practice, the introduction of multicenter networks of pelvic trauma management appears a necessity. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, therapeutic study. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Uterine sarcomas are a rare group of neoplasms with aggressive clinical course and poor prognosis. They are classified into four main histological subtypes in order of decreasing incidence: carcinosarcomas, leiomyosarcomas, endometrial stromal sarcomas and "other" sarcomas. The pathological subtype demands a tailored approach. Surgical resection is regarded as the mainstay of treatment. Total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy represents the standard treatment of uterine sarcomas. Pelvic and para-aortic lymph node dissection in carcinosarcomas is recommended, given their high incidence of lymph node metastases, and may have a role in endometrial stromal sarcomas. Adjuvant radiation therapy has historically been of little survival value, but it appears to improve local control and may delay recurrence. Regarding adjuvant chemotherapy, there is little evidence in the literature supporting its use except for carcinosarcomas. However, more trials are needed to address these issues, especially, their sequential application. Patients with uterine sarcomas should be referred to large academic centers for participation in clinical trials. © 2009 Zagouri et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

The introduction of several novel and active treatments and improvements in supportive care of myeloma patients has resulted in a prolongation of the survival of these patients. However, myeloma remains an incurable disease and almost all patients will relapse. Effective management of the relapsing/refractory disease incorporates several different strategies, depending on prior treatments, responses, and duration of responses, as well as residual toxicity, age, and physical condition. High-dose dexamethasone still has a role in the management of disease complications such as cytopenias, renal impairment, or spinal cord compression until another agent is added. High-dose therapy may be considered for selected patients who have a long-term treatment-free interval after their first transplantation. Allogeneic transplantation is limited to selected young patients, preferably with an HLA-matched donor. However, the backbone of current strategies for the management of relapsed/refractory myeloma includes the novel agents thalidomide, bortezomib, and lenalidomide. These agents, either with dexamethasone or in combination with chemotherapy, have shown significant activity both in relapsed and in refractory patients. Based on the results of phase III trials, lenalidomide and bortezomib have increased the post-relapse survival and are active in patients who have received prior novel agents; lenalidomide is active in thalidomide-pretreated or bortezomib-pretreated patients and bortezomib alone or in combination with chemotherapy is active in thalidomide/lenalidomide-pretreated patients. Combinations of novel agents show synergistic activity and may overcome drug resistance. Finally, special consideration is needed for the management of patients with renal impairment or other poor prognostic features. © 2009.

Skeletal muscle contraction is triggered by the excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling machinery residing at the triad, a membrane structure formed by the juxtaposition of T-tubules and sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) cisternae. The formation and maintenance of this structure is key for muscle function but is not well characterized. We have investigated the mechanisms leading to X-linked myotubular myopathy (XLMTM), a severe congenital disorder due to loss of function mutations in the MTM1 gene, encoding myotubularin, a phosphoinositide phosphatase thought to have a role in plasma membrane homeostasis and endocytosis. Using a mouse model of the disease, we report that Mtm1-deficient muscle fibers have a decreased number of triads and abnormal longitudinally oriented T-tubules. In addition, SR Ca(2+) release elicited by voltage-clamp depolarizations is strongly depressed in myotubularin-deficient muscle fibers, with myoplasmic Ca(2+) removal and SR Ca(2+) content essentially unaffected. At the molecular level, Mtm1-deficient myofibers exhibit a 3-fold reduction in type 1 ryanodine receptor (RyR1) protein level. These data reveal a critical role of myotubularin in the proper organization and function of the E-C coupling machinery and strongly suggest that defective RyR1-mediated SR Ca(2+) release is responsible for the failure of muscle function in myotubular myopathy.

Recent observations as well as theoretical studies of YSO jets suggest the presence of two steady components: a disk wind type outflow needed to explain the observed high mass loss rates and a stellar wind type outflow probably accounting for the observed stellar spin down. In this framework, we construct numerical two-component jet models by properly mixing an analytical disk wind solution with a complementary analytically derived stellar outflow. Their combination is controlled by both spatial and temporal parameters, in order to address different physical conditions and time variable features. We study the temporal evolution and the interaction of the two jet components on both small and large scales. The simulations reach steady state configurations close to the initial solutions. Although time variability is not found to considerably affect the dynamics, flow fluctuations generate shocks, whose large scale structures have a strong resemblance to observed YSO jet knots.

Recent observations as well as theoretical studies of YSO jets suggest the presence of two steady components: a disk wind type outflow needed to explain the observed high mass loss rates and a stellar wind type outflow probably accounting for the observed stellar spin down. In this framework, we construct numerical two-component jet models by properly mixing an analytical disk wind solution with a complementary analytically derived stellar outflow. Their combination is controlled by both spatial and temporal parameters, in order to address different physical conditions and time variable features. We study the temporal evolution and the interaction of the two jet components on both small and large scales. The simulations reach steady state configurations close to the initial solutions. Although time variability is not found to considerably affect the dynamics, flow fluctuations generate shocks, whose large scale structures have a strong resemblance to observed YSO jet knots.

Context: Theoretical arguments along with observational data of YSO jets suggest the presence of two steady components: a disk wind type outflow needed to explain the observed high mass loss rates and a stellar wind type outflow probably accounting for the observed stellar spin down. Each component's contribution depends on the intrinsic physical properties of the YSO-disk system and its evolutionary stage. Aims: The main goal of this paper is to understand some of the basic features of the evolution, interaction and co-existence of the two jet components over a parameter space and when time variability is enforced. Methods: Having studied separately the numerical evolution of each type of the complementary disk and stellar analytical wind solutions in Paper I of this series, we proceed here to mix together the two models inside the computational box. The evolution in time is performed with the PLUTO code, investigating the dynamics of the two-component jets, the modifications each solution undergoes and the potential steady state reached. Results: The co-evolution of the two components, indeed, results in final steady state configurations with the disk wind effectively collimating the inner stellar component. The final outcome stays close to the initial solutions, supporting the validity of the analytical studies. Moreover, a weak shock forms, disconnecting the launching region of both outflows with the propagation domain of the two-component jet. On the other hand, several cases are being investigated to identify the role of each two-component jet parameter. Time variability is not found to considerably affect the dynamics, thus making all the conclusions robust. However, the flow fluctuations generate shocks, whose large scale structures have a strong resemblance to observed YSO jet knots. Conclusions: Analytical disk and stellar solutions, even sub modified fast ones, provide a solid foundation to construct two-component jet models. Tuning their physical properties along with the two-component jet parameters allows a broad class of realistic scenarios to be addressed. The applied flow variability provides very promising perspectives for the comparison of the models with observations.

The Book (or Treatise) of Heracleidis is known as the Apology of Nestorius. The comparative examination of its text with the Minutes of the Third Ecumenical Synod, throws new light on Nestorius´ trial and conviction, and brings to light new research elements, regarding the juridical procedures of the era. Last but not least, the survey reveals who is hiding under the pseudonym ῾Heracleidis῾. In contrast to what was beleived until today, the writer of the Treatise is not Nestorius, or a student of him, but, Hereneus of Tyros, his loyal friend and defense counsel before the Emperor, at Nestorius' trial.

A comprehensive investigation of the optical properties of a composite metamaterial in which silver nanowires are aligned inside a finite-thickness dielectric host medium is presented. Using a rigorous finite-element based modelling approach, together with a self-consistent process for the extraction of effective-medium parameters, we find that this structure can enable an effective optical diamagnetic response that is orders of magnitude stronger compared to that of naturally occurring diamagnetic materials. Interestingly, our analysis reveals that there is a frequency region where the nanoforest exhibits a strong diamagnetic response while simultaneously allowing for high transmission of incident electromagnetic waves. We examine the physical origin behind the magnetic properties of this structure, as well as its resilience to fabrication imperfections. Our analysis shows that the structure is robust to the presence of disorder, in the occurrence of which it can still facilitate high figure-of-merit diamagnetic responses. © 2009 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Recently there has been a considerable interest in metamaterial waveguide structures capable of dramatically slowing down or, even, completely stopping light. Here, we shall explain in some detail the working principle behind the deceleration and/or stopping of light in metamaterial structures, and review the various, metamaterial-enabled, methods that have been proposed thus far towards achieving such a goal. Further, we will concisely describe how one can construct zero-loss metamaterials over a continuous and broad (but not infinite) range of frequencies, which is an essential prerequisite for any slow-light system. Moreover, it will be explained that inside such waveguide structures light can in principle be stopped (zero group velocity, νg = 0) even in the presence of losses. By nature, metamaterial-enabled schemes for stopping/storing light invoke solid-state materials and, as such, are not subject to low-temperature or atomic coherence limitations. Furthermore, these methods simultaneously allow for broad bandwidth operation, since they do not rely on group index resonances; large delay-bandwidth products, since a wave packet can, in principle, be completely stopped and buffered indefinitely; and (for the case, in particular, where a negative-index metamaterial is used) high, almost 100%, in/out-coupling efficiencies. Thus, we conclude that these methods for trapping photons, which can be realised using existing technology, could open the way to a multitude of hybrid optoelectronic devices to be used in 'quantum information' processing, communication networks and signal processors and may conceivably herald a new realm of combined metamaterials and slow light research. © 2009 SPIE.

Anemia is a common side-effect of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and lymphoma. The etiology is complex, but the main cause is the underlying mechanism of anemia of chronic disease, which is characterized among others, by impairment of iron metabolism and consequently iron restricted erythropoiesis (IRE), resulting from the up-regulation of the iron distributing regulator, hepcidin. Erythopoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) have been the standard of care since early 90's offering high response rates and improving the quality of life of the patients. However, the role of ESAs in the treatment of cancer-related anemia has been questioned recently, due to the growing evidence which support that ESAs may be associated with increased risk for thrombosis and may have a detrimental impact on patients' survival. Under the light of the recent considerations, the place of ESAs in the management of cancer-related anemia has been reassigned. Regarding the management of anemia in MM or lymphoma, the updated American Society of Clinical Oncology/American Society of Hematology (ASCO/ASH) 2007 clinical practice guidelines on the use of ESAs in cancer-related anemia, recommended that ESAs should be preferably omitted in patients planned to receive chemotherapy and applied in case that anemia does not improve over treatment. The quest for reliable predictors for response to ESAs and for indicators of IRE which plays a major etiological role for the development of anemia of cancer still remains an open issue. In the current review we present an update on ESAs use in anemia of MM and lymphoma. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM) is a distinct B-cell lymphoproliferative disorder characterized by lymphoplasmacytic bone marrow infiltration along with an immunoglobulin M (lgM) monoclonal gammopathy. Patients with disease-related cytopenias, bulky adenopathy or organomegaly, symptomatic hyperviscosity, severe neuropathy, amyloidosis, cryoglobulinemia, cold agglutinin disease, or evidence of disease transformation should be considered for immediate therapy. Initiation of therapy should not be based on serum lgM levels alone, and asymptomatic patients should be observed. Individual patient considerations should be considered when deciding on a first-line agent including the presence of cytopenias, need for rapid disease control, age, and candidacy for autologous transplantation. Therapeutic outcomes should be evaluated using updated criteria. As part of the Fourth International Workshop on Waldenström's Macroglobulinemia, a consensus panel updated its recommendations on both first-line and salvage therapy in view of recently published and ongoing clinical trials. The panel considered encouraging results from recent studies of first-line combinations such as rituximab with nucleoside analogs with or without alkylating agents or with cyclophosphamide-based therapies (eg, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone or cyclophosphamide and dexamethasone) or the combination of rituximab with thalidomide. Such therapeutic approaches are likely to yield responses at least as good as, if not better than, monotherapy with any of the alkylating agents, nucleoside analogs, or rituximab. In the salvage setting, reuse of a first-line regimen or use of a different regimen should be considered along with bortezomib, alemtuzumab, autologous transplantation, and, in selected circumstances, allogeneic transplantation. Finally, the panel reaffirmed its encouragement of the active enrollment of patients with WM onto innovative clinical trials whenever possible. © 2008 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.

As flash flood events are becoming more frequent, the development of flood estimation methods for areas with limited or lack of data has attracted the interest of many scientists. The aim of the present paper is to develop a GIS based methodology in order to study the flood risk in Karlovassi basin. The annual probability of a flood event is relatively high at Karlovassi area (Samos Island – Greece). Especially, after the forest fires that took place in the summer of 2000, during which 90.000 hectares were burnt in Kerketeas Mountain, the phenomenon has become more intense. Primary data were collected from maps, literature, aerial photos and field work. The collected information data were analyzed through the use of the software ArcGIS in order to generate the appropriate background for the formation of the flood risk model. All the input parameters were weighted and the model was calibrated in situ through field work. The proposed methodology and the preliminary results, as exported for the Karlovassi area, prove the suitability of GIS-based methods in the creation of flood risk maps.

Background: Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), an iron-transporting protein rapidly accumulating in the kidney tubules and urine after nephrotoxic and ischemic insults, has been put forward as an early, sensitive, non-invasive biomarker for acute kidney injury (AKI). The aim of this study was to evaluate urinary NGAL levels as a predictor of early AKI (first 5 days after injury) in multi-trauma patients. Methods: We studied multi-trauma adult patients admitted to the intensive care unit of a trauma hospital. Exclusion criteria were a) known cardiac or chronic kidney disease, and b) initial evaluation after more than 24 h had elapsed from injury. Urinary NGAL was measured using an ELISA technique upon admission and at 24 and 48 h. Presence of AKI was defined by the risk injury failure loss and end-stage kidney classification (RIFLE) criteria. Data are reported as median and interquartile range. Results: A total of 31 patients (25 male, 6 female) were studied. NGAL levels at admission were significantly higher among patients who subsequently developed AKI [155.5 (50.5-205.9) ng/mL vs. 8.0 (5.7-17.7) ng/mL, p=0.0000] and these higher levels persisted over the following 2 days. On the basis of receiver-operating characteristic analysis both NGAL and serum creatinine baseline measurements could predict AKI [area under the curve (95% confidence interval) 0.977 (0.823-0.980) and 0.789 (0.556-0.906), respectively], but the area under the curve for NGAL was significantly larger (p=0.024). A cut-off point >25 ng/mL for NGAL had a sensitivity of 0.91 and specificity of 0.95 in predicting AKI. Conclusions: Urinary NGAL can be used from the 1st day of injury as a reliable predictor of early AKI in multi-trauma patients. © 2009 by Walter de Gruyter.

The impact of prioritization and of timing of vaccination strategies on reducing transmission of pandemic influenza A(H1N1) was evaluated in a community with the structure of the Greek population using a stochastic simulation model. Prioritization scenarios were based on the recommendations of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and vaccination was assumed to initiate either before or during the ongoing epidemic. In the absence of intervention, an illness attack rate (AR) of 34.5% is anticipated. Vaccinating the priority groups before the epidemic (pregnant women, people who live with or care for children <6 months of age, healthcare/emergency services personnel, children 6 months-4 years old and high-risk children 5-18 years old) will have a negligible impact on the overall AR. Vaccinating the recommended groups before the epidemic (priority groups as well as all persons 6 months-24 years old and high-risk individuals 25-64 years old) is anticipated to result in overall and age-specific ARs within the range of seasonal influenza (5%-15%). Initiating vaccination early during the epidemic (AR

Background: Bisphosphonates (BPs) prevent, reduce, and delay multiple myeloma (MM)-related skeletal complications. Intravenous pamidronate and zoledronic acid, and oral clodronate are used for the management of MM bone disease. The purpose of this paper is to review the current evidence for the use of BPs in MM and provide European Union-specific recommendations to support the clinical practice of treating myeloma bone disease. Design and methods: An interdisciplinary, expert panel of specialists on MM and myeloma-related bone disease convened for a face-to-face meeting to review and assess the evidence and develop the recommendations. The panel reviewed and graded the evidence available from randomized clinical trials, clinical practice guidelines, and the body of published literature. Where published data were weak or unavailable, the panel used their own clinical experience to put forward recommendations based solely on their expert opinions. Results: The panel recommends the use of BPs in MM patients suffering from lytic bone disease or severe osteoporosis. Intravenous administration may be preferable; however, oral administration can be considered for patients unable to make hospital visits. Dosing should follow approved indications with adjustments if necessary. In general, BPs are well tolerated, but preventive steps should be taken to avoid renal impairment and osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ). The panel agrees that BPs should be given for 2 years, but this may be extended if there is evidence of active myeloma bone disease. Initial therapy of ONJ should include discontinuation of BPs until healing occurs. BPs should be restarted if there is disease progression. Conclusions: BPs are an essential component of MM therapy for minimizing skeletal morbidity. Recent retrospective data indicate that a modified dosing regimen and preventive measures can greatly reduce the incidence of ONJ. © The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society for Medical Oncology. All rights reserved.

In this paper we introduce the utilization of novel compounds that can be magnetoelectric, namely Al(2-x)FexO(3) and Ga2-xFexO3, or ferrimagnetic, namely Y3Fe5O12, as effective constituents in patch antennas. Owing to their coupled dielectric and magnetic properties these constituents can probably tune the radiation characteristics of the patch antenna by means of an externally controlled parameter such as a magnetic and/or electric field. We clearly demonstrate that using Y3Fe5O12 in the antenna substrate, the type and the sense of the antenna polarization is strongly influenced by applying an external magnetic field.

Our purpose was to compare the Vascular Closure Staples (VCS) clips to a standard suture technique for vein patch angioplasty in a porcine model. Six female pigs underwent vein patch angioplasty of the common iliac arteries with either VCS clips or continuous suturing. The reconstructed vessels were evaluated macroscopically, angiographically and histologically after two months by re-operation. There was a non significant trend towards shorter reconstruction (6.5 +/- 1.8 min. for clips vs. 8.5 +/- 1.7 min. for sutures, p = 0.15) and clamp times when clips were used (8.4 +/- 1.5 min. vs. 10.1 +/- 1.3 min., p = 0.15). At re-operation all vessels were found patent without significant histological differences regarding the intimal reaction. VCS clips are a reliable alternative to sutures for vein patch angioplasty.

Purpose: To assess bortezomib plus melphalan and prednisone (VMP) and melphalan and prednisone (MP) in previously untreated patients with multiple myeloma (MM) with renal impairment enrolled on the phase III VISTA study, and to evaluate renal impairment reversibility. Patients and Methods: Patients received nine 6-week cycles of VMP (bortezomib 1.3 mg/m2, melphalan 9 mg/m2, prednisone 60 mg/m2) or MP. Patients with serum creatinine higher than 2 mg/dL were excluded. Results: In the VMP/MP arms, 6%/4%, 27%/30%, and 67%/66% of patients had baseline glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of ≤ 30, 31 to 50, and higher than 50 mL/min, respectively. Response rates were higher and time to progression (TTP) and overall survival (OS) longer with VMP versus MP across renal cohorts. Response rates with VMP and TTP in both arms did not appear significantly different between patients with GFR ≤ 50 or higher than 50 mL/min; OS appeared somewhat longer in patients with normal renal function in both arms. Renal impairment reversal (baseline GFR < 50 improving to > 60 mL/min) was seen in 49 (44%) of 111 patients receiving VMP versus 40 (34%) of 116 patients receiving MP. By multivariate analysis, younger age (< 75 years; P = .006) and less severe impairment (GFR ≥ 30 mL/min; P = .027) were associated with higher reversal rates. In addition, treatment with VMP approached significance (P = .07). In both arms, rates of grade 4 and 5 adverse events (AEs) and serious AEs appeared higher in patients with renal impairment; with VMP, rates of discontinuations/bortezomib dose reductions due to AEs did not appear affected. Conclusion: VMP is a feasible, active, and well-tolerated treatment option for previously untreated patients with MM with moderate renal impairment, resulting in 44% renal impairment reversal. © 2009 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Objective: A randomized phase II trial was conducted to test whether the addition of gemcitabine to weekly docetaxel could improve the objective response rate and survival outcomes as second-line chemotherapy in patients with metastatic breast cancer who have failed a paclitaxel-containing regimen. Methods: Patients were randomized to receive either weekly docetaxel 40 mg/m2 (group A, n = 34) or the combination of weekly docetaxel 35 mg/m2 with gemcitabine 600 mg/m2 (group B, n = 41). Three consecutive weekly infusions followed by a 1-week rest period represented 1 chemotherapy cycle. Results: The objective response rate was 18% and 27.5% in group A and B, respectively (p = 0.413). No statistically significant differences were demonstrated in terms of median overall survival and time to disease progression. The rate and grade 3 and 4 neutropenia were higher in group B (23 vs. 3%). Conclusions: The weekly administration of docetaxel and gemcitabine did not result in superior clinical outcomes over weekly docetaxel. © 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.

The purpose of the present study is to identify the various factors that decision makers must take into account when ranking destinations for placing a spa resort/hotel in the thriving health and wellness industry. The study will suggest a decision support system (DSS) based on key factors as climate, tourism development and attractions. The DSS, using a computer based information system, will evaluate the aforementioned factors and will propose a hierarchical structure for rating destinations, useful for private or public planners in the wellness market. The research categorized the prefectures of Ahaia, Arkadia, Ilia, Korinthia, Messinia in the region of Peloponnese. © University of the Aegean.

The purpose of the present study is to identify the various factors that decision makers must take into account when ranking destinations for placing a spa resort/hotel in the thriving health and wellness industry. The study will suggest a decision support system (DSS) based on key factors as climate, tourism development and attractions. The DSS, using a computer based information system, will evaluate the aforementioned factors and will propose a hierarchical structure for rating destinations, useful for private or public planners in the wellness market. The research categorized the prefectures of Ahaia, Arkadia, Ilia, Korinthia, Messinia in the region of Peloponnese. © University of the Aegean.

We present results on the X-ray source populations of nearby spiral and star-forming galaxies. The sample of galaxies includes the nearby spiral galaxy M81 and star-forming galaxies with stellar populations in the 10-100Myr range. We use HST data in order to classify the X-ray sources to HMXBs, LMXBs and globular clusters, and identify any SNRs or background AGNs. We discuss the spectral and temporal characteristics of the different sub-populations in these galaxies, and their implications for the sources' nature. We present the X-ray luminosity functions (XLF) of the discrete sources from the individual as well as the co-added observations and we discuss the dependence of the XLF on the age of the stellar populations. In the case of M81 we find a population of sources in the 10^{36}-10^{37} erg s^{-1} luminosity range with early-type counterparts, while the HMXBs in the star-forming galaxies have generally higher luminosities. We also present results from Chandra observations of the SMC which extend the XLFs down to luminosities of 10^{32} erg s^{-1} and show evidence for the onset of the propeller effect at low luminosities.

ISBN 978-9963-561-61-2. Η παρούσα δημοσίευση αποτελεί την εισήγηση στο Θεολογικό Σεμινάριο που πραγματοποιήθηκε στην Λευκωσία στην  Κύπρο τον Μάιο του 2009 και αποτελεί πρωτότυπη προσπάθεια για τη διατύπωση θεολογικής άποψης για τον προγεννητικό έλεγχο και την προεμφυτευτική διάγνωση των εμβρύων. Στο τέλος της εισήγησης, που δημοσιεύθηκε στον τόμο των πρακτικών, παρουσιάζονται  πραγματικές περιπτώσεις αντιμετώπισης διαγνώσεων προγεννητικού ελέγχου από γονείς, οι οποίες συγκίνησαν και προβλημάτισαν το πολυπληθές κοινό στην αίθουσα του Μακαρίου β’ της Ιεράς Αρχιεπισκοπής Κύπρου, όπου πραγματοποιήθηκε η εισήγηση.

The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of bullying/victimization during preadolescence and early adolescence in Greece, in relation to age and gender. Participants were 655 fifth, seventh, eighth and ninth graders from Athenian schools. They completed the Revised Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire (Olweus, 2006). Data showed a high prevalence of bullying and victimization, with verbal bullying and social exclusion as the most frequent forms. Self-reported victimization decreased with age, with the exception of electronic victimization which increased, whereas self-reported verbal, sexual, and electronic bullying increased with age. Boys preferred verbal, physical, racial, sexual, and electronic bullying significantly more than girls. More boys felt bullied for racial reasons than girls, whereas girls felt more sexually victimized than boys. Results are discussed in the framework of the existing literature on bullying and victimization, and some implications for interventions are presented.

Bullying, as a prevalent phenomenon in Greek schools, is a stressful situ­ation, often with a traumatic character. The aim of this research was to examine the associations between bullying/victimization and loneliness in the peer group (social loneliness) and the dyadic friendship (emotional loneliness). Partic­ipants were 208 fifth-grade students from schools located in the center of Athens. They completed the Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire-Revised Edi­tion (Olweus, 2006) and the Peer Network and Peer Dyadic Loneliness Scale (Hoza, Bukowski, & Beery, 2000), which showed adequate internal consis­tency. Linear regression analyses indicated that the tendency to be bullied was associated with loneliness in the peer group and in the dyadic friendship, whereas the tendency to bully was not associated with any dimension of lone­liness. Bullies/victims were the children experiencing the highest loneliness of all the other groups. Sexual victimization, social exclusion, and stealing/dam­aging belongings were significantly related to the various dimensions of lone­liness. More boys than girls were bullies/victims, but no gender difference was found for loneliness. Discussion focuses on the importance of knowing the personal, subjective experience of bullies and victims, as well as on the impli­cations of these findings for school-based interventions.

One of the most important evolutions marking modern Greek culture is the ever increasing presence of women in the realms of both economics and politics. This phenomenon has given significant rise to new social concerns among which lies the issue of linguistic adaptation to the new roles of the female gender. The present research is an interdisciplinary one, related both to social sciences and linguistics and dealing with the analytical category of “social gender.”  Specifically, the research in question is interested in the field of politics, which is traditionally the last bulwark of Greek patriarchal society. In other words, this investigation raises the question of whether or not the female presence in the centers of authority and power is adequately reflected in the Greek language. Moreover, the following parameters are thoroughly investigated: firstly it is attempted to register the grammatical problems emerging after the end of the male monopoly concerning power, while at the same time the first linguistic approaches to the aforementioned problem are examined.  There is also mention of the ways in which the State and other official bodies deal with this issue as well as of the everyday use of gender demarcations of various offices in the Media. Lastly, the attitude of women, either individually or collectively, towards this issue is methodically examined.Full texthttps://dspace.flinders.edu.au/xmlui/bitstream/handle/2328/8106/449-466.pdf;jsessionid=9E4B03B46AD0B1B71C19C40869981F67?sequence=1

Το παρόν κείμενο αποτελεί συνέντευξη του Καθηγητή Ιωάννη Μάζη, ο οποίος αναλύει τη γεωπολιτικὴ τῆς Τουρκίας, μὲ στόχο τὴν πληρεστέραν ἐνημέρωση τοῦ ἀναγνωστικοῦ κοινοῦ, γιὰ μιὰ σειρὰ κρισίμων θεμάτων. Ο Καθηγητής αναφέρεται στο “νεο-ὀθωμανισμὸ” καὶ στο ρόλο τοῦ Νταβούτογλου, στις σχέσεις μὲ την Ἑλλάδα, τις ΗΠΑ, τη Ρωσσία καὶ το Ἰσραήλ, τὸν 21ο αἰῶνα, μετὰ τὴν σύγχυση ποὺ προεκλήθη στὴν χώρα μας ἐξ αἰτίας τῆς ἀνακοινώσεως τῆς ἐπίσημης ἐπισκέψεως τοῦ Ἀμερικανοῦ προέδρου Μπαρὰκ Ὀμπάμα στὴν Τουρκία καὶ τῆς δημοσιότητος ποὺ ἔλαβε στὰ ἑλληνικὰ ΜΜΕ, ὁ κύριος σύμβουλος τοῦ Τούρκου πρωθυπουργοῦ, γιὰ θέματα ἐξωτερικῆς πολιτικῆς.

Ποιούς θεωρεῖ "γείτονες" ὁ Ἀ. Νταβούτογλου; Διότι ἀπὸ ὅ,τι φαίνεται ἀπὸ τὰ γραφόμενά του, γιὰ ὅποιον τὰ διαβάζει, τὴν Ἑλλάδα καὶ τὴν Κύπρο δὲν πρέπει νὰ τὴν συμπεριλαμβάνει σὲ αὐτὴν τὴν χορεία. Καὶ ἐπειδὴ τὰ ἀνωτέρω στρουθοκαμηλικὰ ἐγράφησαν ἀναφορικῶς πρὸς τὶς πιθανὲς προοπτικὲς ἐξελίξεων στὸ Κυπριακό, το παρόν κείμενο παρουσιάζει και σχολιάζει αναλυτικά τις απόψεις του Α. Νταβούτογλου, σχετικώς με τις γειτονικές χώρες της Τουρκίας, έτσι όπως αυτές αναφέρονται στο βιβλίο του με τίτλο "Στρατηγικό Βάθος".

The purpose of the present study was to examine children’s loneliness and social dissatisfaction in relation to social support in school, that is, personal and academic support by teachers and classmates. Participants were 221 fifth- and sixth-grade students from primary schools in Athens, Greece. They completed the Loneliness and Social Dissatisfaction Scale (Greek version; Galanaki & Kalantzi-Azizi, 1999) and the Social Support subscales of the Classroom Life Measure (Johnson, Johnson, Buckman, & Scott-Richards, 1985). Results showed high feelings of loneliness and social dissatisfaction in the school, both of which were significantly associated only with personal support from classmates. The associations were stronger for sixth-grade students and girls. Results are discussed in light of the importance of interpersonal relations for the emergence of loneliness during late childhood. Some suggestions for educational practice are also made.

Στην εργασία αυτή εξετάζονται η νομολογία και του ΣτΕ και του ΔΕΚ , προκειμένου να διαπιστωθεί αν διαφοροποιούνται ως προς το συμπέρασμα και τις κύριες παραδοχές τους  σχετικά με τις ευνοϊκότερες για τις γυναίκες διατάξεις για τη χορήγηση των κοινωνικοασφαλιστικών παροχών και ειδικότερα τα μικρότερα όρια ηλικίας για τη συνταξιοδότησή τους. Η νομολογία του ΣτΕ έχει ασχοληθεί κυρίως με υποθέσεις που αφορούν  στην άνιση κοινωνικοασφαλιστική μεταχείριση των ανδρών έναντι των γυναικών. Η νομολογία των ημεδαπών δικαστηρίων για την άνιση κοινωνικοασφαλιστική μεταχείριση με κριτήριο το φύλο στηρίζεται στα άρθρα 4 παρ. 2 και 116 του Συντάγματος που κατοχυρώνουν την ισότητα των δικαιωμάτων και των υποχρεώσεων ανδρών και γυναικών και έχει αποδειχθεί ιδιαίτερα αποτελεσματική. Υπάρχει ήδη ένας μακρύς κατάλογος δικαστικών αποφάσεων που δικαιώνουν τους άνδρες ως μειονεκτούσα ομάδα έναντι των γυναικών στην κοινωνική ασφάλιση. Και τα ευρωπαϊκά και τα ημεδαπά Δικαστήρια δέχονται ότι επιτρέπεται να ληφθούν θετικά μέτρα για την προαγωγή της αρχής της ίσης μεταχειρίσεως, για να βελτιωθεί η ικανότητα του φύλου που υφίσταται την άνιση μεταχείριση να προλάβει ή αντισταθμίσει τις σε βάρος του ανισότητες. Κρίσιμο για τη νομιμότητα των θετικών μέτρων είναι η αποκατάσταση της ισότητας και η συνάφεια των μέτρων με τον σκοπό αυτό. Τέτοια μέτρα ασφαλώς δεν αποτελούν τα διαφορετικά όρια ηλικίας για τη συνταξιοδότηση των ανδρών και των γυναικών. Επομένως, η απόφαση του ΔΕΚ C-559/2007 Επιτροπή ΕΚ κατά Ελληνικής Δημοκρατίας σχετικά με τα ισχύοντα στην Ελλάδα ευνοϊκότερα για τις γυναίκες δημόσιους υπαλλήλους όρια ηλικίας συνταξιοδότησης δεν αποτελεί novum, αφού με βάση το Σύνταγμα η νομολογία του ΣτΕ καταλήγει στο ίδιο ακριβώς συμπέρασμα, ότι δηλαδή απαγορεύεται η άνιση συνταξιοδοτική μεταχείριση με κριτήριο το φύλο. 

Τα ευρωπαϊκά κράτη επιδιώκουν την οικονομικότητα, οικονομική ισορροπία και  βιωσιμότητα  του συστήματος υγείας με δύο διαμετρικά αντίθετους τρόπους: Με τον εσωτερικό ανταγωνισμό των δημόσιων υπηρεσιών υγείας από τη μια και με τη συνεργασία του ιδιωτικού με τον δημόσιο τομέα από την άλλη. Η σχετική αντιπαράθεση στην ΕΕ είναι έντονη και έχει οδηγήσει στην εξαίρεση των υπηρεσιών υγείας από το πεδίο εφαρμογής της Οδηγίας για τις υπηρεσίες. Ωστόσο, η Επιτροπή  συζητά το ενδεχόμενο θεσπίσεως ειδικής Οδηγίας για τις κοινωνικές υπηρεσίες γενικότερου οικονομικού συμφέροντος στις οποίες θα περιλαμβάνονται και τα νοσοκομεία. Ο έλληνας νομοθέτης τελευταία, διστακτικά και αποσπασματικά θεσπίζει ρυθμίσεις για τη συνεργασία του δημόσιου με τον ιδιωτικό τομέα παροχής υπηρεσιών υγείας. Οι σχετικές προβλέψεις όμως δεν συνοδεύονται από το κατάλληλο θεσμικό πλαίσιο για την άσκηση αυτών των αρμοδιοτήτων. Η μεταρρύθμιση των κλάδων ασθένειας των οργανισμών κοινωνικής ασφάλισης πρέπει να συνδυασθεί με μεταρρύθμιση του συστήματος υγείας, να στηρίζεται στις αρχές της υψηλής ποιότητας και της βιωσιμότητας και να αξιοποιεί τα σύγχρονα μέσα για την οργάνωση, τη διοίκηση και τον έλεγχο των υπηρεσιών υγείας και συγκεκριμένα στην αξιολόγηση και τον αποτελεσματικό διοικητικό έλεγχο. Μέχρις ότου το κράτος ανταποκριθεί στην πρόκληση αυτή οι ασφαλισμένοι θα κάνουν όλο και συχνότερα χρήση των διατάξεων για την εσωτερική αγορά και θα ζητούν νοσηλεία ή εξωνοσοκομειακές παροχές σε άλλο κράτος μέλος της ΕΕ. Εκ του αποτελέσματος το ευρωπαϊκό δίκαιο συμβάλλει ουσιαστικά στην προστασία της υγείας των ευρωπαίων ασφαλισμένων στο μέτρο που τους επιτρέπει να παρακάμπτουν τις οικονομικές αδυναμίες των εθνικών συστημάτων και τις οργανωτικές τους ελλείψεις. 

Ο Θ. Βερέμης και ο Χ. Γιανναράς αναγνωρίζουν την υπεροχή ισχύος της Τουρκίας αναφερόμενοι σε βασικούς πυλώνες της. Ο μεν Βερέμης αναφέρεται στην οικονομία, στην άμυνα και την δημογραφία, ο δε Γιανναράς αναφέρεται στην άμυνα, στη δημογραφία και σε συγκεκριμένα πολιτισμικά χαρακτηριστικά της γείτονος ιδεολογικού τύπου, όπως το πατριωτικό φρόνημα και η απαίτηση εθνικής αξιοπρέπειας, τα οποία κρίνει ότι "η Ελλάδα παραβλέπει ανέμελη". Θα συμφωνήσουμε με τον Βερέμη αλλά θα διαφωνήσουμε με τον Γιανναρά. 

Το άρθρο αποτελεί την επεξεργασμένη και εμπλουτισμένη μορφή της ανακοίνωσης στο συνέδριο του Τμήματος Γερμανικής Γλώσσας και Φιλολογίας του ΕΚΠΑ για τον Georg Trakl (2007). Διερευνά την πρόσληψη στην Ελλάδα, του γερμανικού εξπρεσιονισμού γενικότερα, και του Trakl ειδικότερα, μέσω μεταφράσεων, δοκιμίων και ποιητικών εκλεκτικών συγγενειών. Αναφέρεται αρχικά στην ποιητική σχέση του Νίκου Εγγονόπουλου με τον αυστριακό ποιητή, τον οποίο ο υπερρεαλιστής ποιητής και ζωγράφος συγκαταλέγει ανάμεσα στους πνευματικούς δημιουργούς που απασχόλησαν τη σκέψη, τη γραφίδα, αλλά και τον χρωστήρα του. Ο Georg Trakl απεικονίζεται σε πίνακα του Εγγονόπουλου του 1968, πίνακας που αναπαράγεται, μεταξύ άλλων πινάκων και ενός σχεδίου, στην έκδοση της ποιητικής συλλογής Στην κοιλάδα με τους ροδώνες του 1978, όπου συμπεριλαμβάνεται το ποίημα με τίτλο Το ποίημα του Γκέοργκ Τρακλ, εις Ριχάρδον Καρικιόπουλον. Η κοινή συνιστώσα των ποιημάτων και των έργων της συλλογής είναι ο διαρκής αναστοχασμός της ποιητικής συνείδησης πάνω στις αισθητικές καταβολές, οφειλές και δεσμεύσεις της, τμήμα των οποίων αποτελεί το έργο του Trakl.  Ύστερα από μια σύντομη αναδρομή στην εργοβιογραφία του Trakl και στη σταδιακή πορεία του από τις ρομαντικές-ιμπρεσσιονιστικές καταβολές του στον τρόπο έκφρασης που θα ονομασθεί αργότερα εξπρεσιονισμός, γίνεται εκτενέστερη αναφορά στην εξπρεσιονιστική τέχνη και λογοτεχνία και στα επί μέρους χαρακτηριστικά της, που εντοπίζονται στην ποίηση του Trakl: έκρηξη του χρώματος, το οποίο λειτουργεί ως αυτόνομη μεταφορά, παράταξη μορφολογικών και υφολογικών στοιχείων, ενορατικό και υποκειμενικό βλέμμα πάνω στην πραγματικότητα. Στη συνέχεια εξετάζεται εν συντομία η έκταση της παρουσίας του γερμανικού εξπρεσιονισμού στην Ελλάδα και η περιορισμένη σχέση του με τον ελληνικό μοντερνισμό, για τον οποίο κυρίαρχο σημείο αναφοράς είναι η γαλλική εκδοχή του μοντερνισμού, ο γαλλικός σουρεαλισμός. Ακολουθεί η λεπτομερής καταγραφή της παρουσίας του Georg Trakl στα ελληνικά γράμματα. Ο ποιητής μεταφράζεται και γίνεται γνωστός στην Ελλάδα μόλις μετά τον Δεύτερο Παγκόσμιο Πόλεμο, όχι νωρίτερα, αρχικά μέσα από τις μεταφράσεις του ασπαζόμενου τον υπερρεαλισμό Δημήτριου Στ. Δήμου το 1950, ο οποίος μπορεί να θεωρηθεί ο εισηγητής του έργου του στην Ελλάδα. Έκτοτε το ενδιαφέρον για τον ποιητή και ο αριθμός των μεταφράσεων από το έργο του και των σχετικών δοκιμίων διαρκώς αυξάνονται, με προεξάρχουσα την φιλολογικά ιδιαίτερα τεκμηριωμένη και εκτενώς σχολιασμένη δίγλωσση έκδοση το 1990 του συνόλου σχεδόν των ποιημάτων του, που επιμελήθηκε η μεταφράστρια, ποιήτρια και πεζογράφος Έλενα Νούσια. Στο πλαίσιο της διερεύνησης των ποιητικών σχέσεων που προέκυψαν από την επαφή με το έργο του Trakl και κατά συνέπεια με τον γερμανικό εξπρεσιονισμό, θα πρέπει να αναφέρουμε και πάλι την Έλενα Νούσια, για την οποία τεκμηριώνονται συσχετισμοί ανάμεσα στην μεταφραστική και στην προσωπική της ποιητική δημιουργία, αλλά και τον Μίλτο Σαχτούρη, για τον οποίο έχει ειπωθεί πως «είναι η πιο εξπρεσιονιστική συνείδηση και ποιητική εκδοχή της λογοτεχνίας μας· θα έλεγα, μάλιστα, η μόνη» (Γ. Δάλλας, 1997). Ο Σαχτούρης γνώριζε εις βάθος και εκτιμούσε τον γερμανικό εξπρεσιονισμό, και ιδιαίτερα τον Georg Trakl, το έργο του οποίου διάβασε εν μέρει στο πρωτότυπο και εν μέρει σε γαλλική μετάφραση. Πράγματι, η εκ του σύνεγγυς θεώρηση του έργου του Σαχτούρη τεκμηριώνει ποιητική συγγένεια με το έργο του Trakl.

The π–π* molecular structure (eigenenergies and eigenfunctions) of flavin tricyclic ring is calculated, using the linear combination of atomic orbitals (LCAO) method containing only pz atomic orbitals. In respect to FADH− position opposite to DNA lesion in photolyase, flavin's HOMO is found to be distributed in the central and distal side, while LUMO is localized in the distal side of flavin (the side that is closer to the adenine part of FADH− and farther than the DNA dimer lesion). LUMO1 as well as LUMO2 are mainly distributed in the proximal side of flavin (the side that is closer to the DNA dimer). Our findings are compared with previous theoretical results as well as with experimental values of known π–π* transitions.

Στο σχόλιο  αυτό υποστηρίζω ότι η υπόθεση επί της οποίας εκδόθηκε η απόφαση C-559/2007 του ΔΕΚ δεν αναμενόταν να έχει θετική έκβαση για την Ελλάδα. Η  εμμονή της Ελλάδας να διατηρεί ευνοϊκότερα όρια ηλικίας συνταξιοδοτήσεως για τις γυναίκες αντίκειται και στο Σύνταγμα, όπως ήδη είχε κρίνει και το ΣτΕ με την απόφαση (Ολ.) 3088/2007. Η εκ μέρους της Ελλάδας ενώπιον του ΔΕΚ εξάντληση της διαδικασίας και της  επιχειρηματολογίας με βάση τη μεταβατική διάταξη της Οδηγίας 79/7/ΕΟΚ ήταν νομικά αδιέξοδη και πέτυχε έναν και μόνο στόχο, να καθυστερήσει όσο γινόταν περισσότερο την κατάργηση των ευνοϊκότερων για τις γυναίκες ορίων ηλικίας συνταξιοδοτήσεως. Ο στόχος όμως αυτός δεν συνάδει με τις υποχρεώσεις της που απορρέουν από το Σύνταγμα καθώς και από το δίκαιο της ΕΕ.    

Το παρόν έργο οριοθετεί το δημόσιο δίκαιο της υγείας ως αυτοτελή κλάδο του δικαίου της κοινωνικής προστασίας και εξετάζει το ισχύον στην Ελλάδα νομοθετικό πλαίσιο των δημόσιων υπηρεσιών υγείας με βάση τις αρχές που το διέπουν. Στην Ελλάδα οι θεωρητικές μελέτες για το δίκαιο της υγείας περιορίζονται σε αποσπασματικές προσεγγίσεις, κυρίως σχετικά με το συνταγματικό δικαίωμα στην προστασία της υγείας, την αστική ευθύνη των ιατρών του Eθνικού Συστήματος Yγείας (ΕΣΥ) ενώ τα δικαιώματα των ασθενών κατά κανόνα εξετάζονται από πλευράς αστικού δικαίου, δηλαδή με βάση τη συμβατική σχέση του ιατρού με τον ασθενή. Το έργο όμως αυτό συμβάλλει στην καλλιέργεια του κλάδου του δημοσίου δικαίου στην υγεία. Στο πρώτο μέρος οριοθετείται το δημόσιο δίκαιο της υγείας ως ιδιαίτερος κλάδος του δικαίου της κοινωνικής προστασίας. Το δίκαιο της κοινωνικής προστασίας αποτελεί ειδικότερο κλάδο του δημοσίου δικαίου και περιλαμβάνει τη νομοθεσία που ρυθμίζει την εξασφάλιση του ανθρώπου από τους κοινωνικούς κινδύνους. Το δίκαιο της υγείας ορίζεται ως το σύστημα των κανόνων δικαίου που εφαρμόζονται στην υγειοπροστατευτική δραστηριότητα στο κέντρο της οποίας βρίσκεται ο άνθρωπος και η διατήρηση, η αποκατάσταση και η βελτίωση μιας πραγματικής καταστάσεως, της υγείας του. Το δίκαιο της υγείας εντάσσεται συστηματικά στο δίκαιο της κοινωνικής προστασίας, εφόσον η προσβολή ή η υποβάθμιση της υγείας του ανθρώπου θεωρείται κοινωνικός κίνδυνος, τον οποίο η κοινωνική ολότητα αναλαμβάνει να καλύψει. Το δίκαιο της υγείας είναι συγγενές με το δίκαιο της κοινωνικής ασφαλίσεως και της πρόνοιας και μάλιστα παρατηρούνται επικαλύψεις όταν οι ασφαλιστικοί και προνοιακοί οργανισμοί χορηγούν παροχές ασθενείας και μητρότητας σε είδος. Στη μελέτη εξετάζονται ειδικότερα, τα εννοιολογικά χαρακτηριστικά του ατομικού και συλλογικού δικαιώματος και οι υπερκρατικές πηγές, δηλαδή το διεθνές και ευρωπαϊκό δίκαιο. Oι κανόνες δημοσίου δικαίου που διέπουν τη διοίκηση των υπηρεσιών υγείας και τη διασφάλιση της υγειονομικής τάξεως και της ασφάλειας έχουν ειδικό χαρακτήρα σε σχέση με τους κανόνες του ιδιωτικού δικαίου και συγκροτούν το δημόσιο δίκαιο της υγείας. Το δίκαιο αυτό εστιάζεται σε δύο πόλους: Στην παροχή υψηλού επιπέδου υπηρεσιών υγείας και στην εξασφάλιση της υγειονομικής δημόσιας τάξεως. Το ευρωπαϊκό δίκαιο έχει συμβάλει ουσιωδώς στην καθιέρωση του αυτοτελούς δικαιώματος στην προστασία της υγείας και έχει επιτύχει την καθιέρωση της ενιαίας αγοράς αγαθών και υπηρεσιών υγείας. Τα κράτη-μέλη είναι αρμόδια για την οργάνωση των εθνικών τους συστημάτων, ωστόσο με νομικά δεσμευτικά και μη μέσα η ΕΕ επιτυγχάνει τη σύγκλιση, τον συντονισμό και σε ορισμένες εξαιρετικές περιπτώσεις την εναρμόνιση των διατάξεων που αναφέρονται στην προστασία της υγείας των ευρωπαίων πολιτών. Στο ευρωπαϊκό δίκαιο, η θέση της προστασίας της υγείας υπό τη σκέπη της αλληλεγγύης, μαζί με δικαιώματα, όπως είναι η προστασία του περιβάλλοντος και του καταναλωτή, και το γεγονός ότι η υγεία αποτελεί έναν από τους στόχους της προστασίας του περιβάλλοντος και του καταναλωτή, έχει οδηγήσει στην καθιέρωση και την εφαρμογή κοινών γενικών αρχών και συγκεκριμένα της πρόληψης, της προφύλαξης, της βιωσιμότητας, της υψηλής ποιότητας των παρεχόμενων υπηρεσιών και αγαθών υγείας. Επίσης, οι μέθοδοι τις οποίες προκρίνει το ευρωπαϊκό δίκαιο και συγκεκριμένα της αξιολογήσεως, της συνεργασίας με διεθνείς οργανισμούς και άλλα κράτη για τη διαφύλαξη και την προαγωγή της υγείας κ.λπ., καθώς και οι δράσεις της EE έχουν σημειώσει αξιόλογα και ορατά από τους ευρωπαίους πολίτες αποτελέσματα, κυρίως όσον αφορά στην προστασία της δημόσιας υγείας. Πάντως, για τη μελλοντική ανάπτυξη της προστασίας της υγείας στο ευρωπαϊκό δίκαιο, θα πρέπει η ΕΕ να αποκτήσει πρόσθετες αρμοδιότητες, κάτι που πιθανότατα θα καθυστερήσει αφού η υγεία εντάσσεται στα νεότερα πεδία της ευρωπαϊκής ολοκληρώσεως, τα οποία κινούνται με μικρή σχετικώς ταχύτητα και δεν φαίνεται ότι προσεχώς θα αποκτήσουν ταχείς ρυθμούς. Στο δεύτερο μέρος εξετάζεται η δημόσια υπηρεσία προστασίας της υγείας και οι αρχές που τη διέπουν. Αναλύονται τα δύο βασικά πρότυπα (Bismarck και Beveridge) και παρατίθενται δύο χαρακτηριστικά παραδείγματα (της Γαλλίας και του Ηνωμένου Βασιλείου), τα οποία έχουν αποτελέσει και πηγή εμπνεύσεως για τον έλληνα νομοθέτη. Συγκεκριμένα, το μεν γαλλικό για το ελληνικό διοικητικό δίκαιο και για την οργάνωση της δημόσιας διοικήσεως και των νοσοκομείων στην Ελλάδα μέχρι το 1983, το δε βρετανικό για τη θέσπιση του Εθνικού Συστήματος Υγείας το 1983. Ακολουθεί η παρουσίαση του ελληνικού δημόσιου συστήματος υγείας και, ειδικότερα, αφενός των γενικών του αρχών, που είναι έμφυτες στο πρότυπο το οποίο ο νομοθέτης έχει επιλέξει, και αφετέρου της επιδράσεως των γενικών αρχών του ευρωπαϊκού δικαίου. Βασικά στοιχεία του ΕΣΥ είναι η κρατική ευθύνη για την προστασία της υγείας, η καθολική, ισότιμη και κατάλληλη προστασία της υγείας του πληθυσμού και η οργάνωση σε κρατικές υπηρεσίες ή δημόσια νομικά πρόσωπα που ελέγχονται από το κράτος. Τα ευρωπαϊκά κράτη επιδιώκουν την παροχή υψηλής ποιότητας υπηρεσιών υγείας και την οικονομική βιωσιμότητα  του συστήματος υγείας με δύο διαμετρικά αντίθετους τρόπους: Με τον εσωτερικό ανταγωνισμό των δημόσιων υπηρεσιών υγείας από τη μια και με τη συνεργασία του ιδιωτικού με τον δημόσιο τομέα από την άλλη. Η σχετική επιλογή αναδεικνύει τη σύγκρουση δύο διαμετρικά αντίθετων ιδεολογικών αντιλήψεων. Από τη μια, η υγεία δεν διαφοροποιείται από τα άλλα αγαθά και μπορεί να παρασχεθεί με βάση τους κανόνες του ιδιωτικού δικαίου και τους μηχανισμούς της αγοράς. Από την άλλη, η υγεία αποτελεί κοινωνικό αγαθό και για την εξασφάλιση της προστασίας της δεν επαρκούν οι μηχανισμοί της αγοράς, τουλάχιστον όσον αφορά στη ρύθμιση της ζήτησης σε υπηρεσίες υγείες, καθόσον ο χρήστης των υπηρεσιών δεν έχει τις απαιτούμενες επιστημονικές γνώσεις και επιλέγει ακολουθώντας τη συμβουλή του επαγγελματία υγείας.  Το EΣΥ δεν έχει εισαγάγει την αξιοποίηση όλων των διαθέσιμων πόρων του δημόσιου και του ιδιωτικού τομέα ούτε τις συμβάσεις μεταξύ αυτών που παρέχουν και αυτών που λαμβάνουν υπηρεσίες ούτε την ευαισθητοποίηση των επαγγελματιών υγείας και των χρηστών για τα θέματα υγείας. Το EΣΥ δεν έχει προσανατολισθεί ούτε έχει εισαγάγει κανόνες και μηχανισμούς του ιδιωτικού δικαίου και ειδικότερα του ανταγωνισμού. Oι κανόνες αυτοί, αν προσαρμοσθούν κατάλληλα, μπορούν να συμβάλλουν στην αποδοτική του λειτουργία, παρ’ ότι στην Ελλάδα το κράτος δεν έχει δεσπόζουσα θέση ως προς την παροχή υπηρεσιών υγείας, όπως κατά κανόνα συμβαίνει στα συστήματα τύπου Beveridge. Η οργάνωση και η λειτουργία του δημόσιου συστήματος υγείας πρέπει να προσανατολισθεί σε διαρθρωτικές αλλαγές αντίστοιχες με αυτές που συντελούνται στις περισσότερες ευρωπαϊκές χώρες. Στο τρίτο μέρος εξετάζονται τα δικαιώματα του χρήστη των δημόσιων υπηρεσιών υγείας και διακρίνονται σε δύο κατηγορίες: α) Στα δικαιώματα του χρήστη της δημόσιας υπηρεσίας, τα οποία αποτελούν τον κορμό για την εξασφάλιση του κοινωνικού δικαιώματος των πολιτών στην προστασία της υγείας τους. Το κύριο δικαίωμα του χρήστη των δημόσιων υπηρεσιών υγείας είναι η παροχή υψηλής ποιότητας υπηρεσιών υγείας προληπτικού ή θεραπευτικού χαρακτήρα. Αυτή καθεαυτή η πρόσβαση στις υπηρεσίες υγείας διασφαλίζεται από την εφαρμογή των αρχών της ισότητας και της συνέχειας. Για παράδειγμα, οι εφημερίες εξασφαλίζουν την αδιάκοπη λειτουργία των υπηρεσιών υγείας και συνακόλουθα το δικαίωμα του χρήστη να έχει πρόσβαση κάθε στιγμή σε αυτές. Η αρχή της ασφάλειας περιλαμβάνει αφενός τις ιατρικές και τις συνδεόμενες με αυτές φροντίδες και αφετέρου την ατομική και τη συλλογική ασφάλεια των πολιτών στο πλαίσιο της πολιτικής για τη δημόσια υγεία (υγειονομική ασφάλεια). Νέες ισορροπίες πρέπει να βρεθούν μεταξύ του κινδύνου και της ασφάλειας και μεταξύ της ασφάλειας και του κόστους. Στο σημείο αυτό, η αρχή της ασφάλειας έχει ανανεωθεί και στο ουσιαστικό και στο δικονομικό δίκαιο από τον συνδυασμό της με την αρχή της προφυλάξεως και από την αντιστροφή του βάρους της αποδείξεως υπέρ του χρήστη των υπηρεσιών αντίστοιχα. Γόνιμο πεδίο για τη νομική επιστήμη παρέχει το δικαίωμα στην ασφάλεια όταν συγκρούεται με το δικαίωμα στην έρευνα, ενώ πεδίο περισσότερο τεχνικό, αλλά με μεγάλο αντίκτυπο στην προστασία των δικαιωμάτων του ανθρώπου, προσφέρει η ασφάλεια των πληροφοριών υγείας. β) Δεύτερη κατηγορία δικαιωμάτων είναι αυτά που απορρέουν από την προστασία της προσωπικότητας του ανθρώπου και εξασφαλίζουν την προστασία από την αυξημένη, λόγω της ραγδαίας επιστημονικής και τεχνολογικής προόδου, εξουσία των επαγγελματιών υγείας. Τα δικαιώματα της ενημερώσεως, της προστασίας της ιδιωτικότητας και των πληροφοριών που αφορούν στην υγεία, καθώς και της προστασίας της αξιοπρέπειας του ανθρώπου μπροστά στον πόνο και στον θάνατο έχουν έρεισμα στον σεβασμό της προσωπικότητας του χρήστη των υπηρεσιών υγείας. Όσον αφορά στο δικαίωμα της ενημερώσεως απαιτείται οι εξαιρέσεις και οι περιορισμοί του δικαιώματος να προβλεφθούν με ειδικό νόμο που θα ρυθμίζει συνολικά και ολοκληρωμένα τα δικαιώματα των ασθενών. Όσον αφορά στην προστασία του απορρήτου, η νομική του βάση έχει διευρυνθεί με το άρθρο 8 της ΕΣΔΑ, το οποίο εξειδικεύεται στους κώδικες δεοντολογίας των επαγγελματιών υγείας ή –σπανιότερα– σε νόμους για τα δικαιώματα των ασθενών. Τέλος, όσον αφορά στη νομοθεσία για την προστασία των προσωπικών δεδομένων δεν φαίνεται να έχει εμπεδωθεί από τους αρμόδιους επαγγελματίες υγείας, οι οποίοι συχνά προβληματίζονται σε σχέση με το εάν και τι είδους στοιχεία πρέπει να χορηγούν κατόπιν αιτήσεως είτε του χρήστη είτε τρίτων που συνδέονται με αυτόν. Επίσης, ζητήματα τίθενται, ως προς την τήρηση των αρχείων από τις υπηρεσίες και τους επαγγελματίες υγείας, διότι τα δημόσια νοσοκομεία δεν έχουν μέχρι σήμερα εγκαταστήσει ολοκληρωμένα συστήματα πληροφορικής. Το δικαίωμα στη ζωή και το δικαίωμα συναινέσεως στις ιατρικές πράξεις εξειδικεύουν την αυτονομία του χρήστη. Γίνεται δεκτό ότι ο άνθρωπος έχει δικαίωμα σε αξιοπρεπή ζωή όχι όμως στον θάνατο. Συνέπεια αυτής της παραδοχής είναι η δυνατότητα του χρήστη αφενός να μη συναινεί σε ανώφελες θεραπείες που παρατείνουν επ’ ολίγον τη ζωή υποβαθμίζοντας όμως την ποιότητά της. Αφετέρου να δικαιούται παρηγορητικές φροντίδες, ώστε να υποστηριχθεί ψυχικά και να ανακουφισθεί από τους πόνους, ακόμη και αν τα φάρμακα που του χορηγούνται ενδέχεται να έχουν ως παρενέργεια τη συντόμευση της ζωής του. Η διατήρηση της αξιοπρέπειας απέναντι στον πόνο και/ή στον θάνατο δεν είναι αποκλειστικά προσωπική υπόθεση του ασθενή ή των οικείων του ούτε αποκλειστικά του ιατρού. Στην Ελλάδα απαιτείται να οργανωθούν ειδικές υπηρεσίες για τη στήριξη του ασθενή και των οικείων του. Η πραγματική κατοχύρωση αυτών των δικαιωμάτων φέρνει τον χρήστη στο επίκεντρο του δημοσίου δικαίου της υγείας. Ωστόσο, οι αποφάσεις του χρήστη συναρτώνται από την πληροφόρηση και τη σχέση εμπιστοσύνης που αναπτύσσει με τον επαγγελματία υγείας. Συνεπώς, τα δικαιώματα του χρήστη των υπηρεσιών υγείας φαινομενικά και μόνο καθαιρούν την εξουσία των επαγγελματιών υγείας. Στην πραγματικότητα, αναβαθμίζουν την εξουσία αυτή και τη στηρίζουν στην κατεύθυνση εδραιώσεως σχέσεων εμπιστοσύνης και συνακόλουθα στη συνεργασία των χρηστών με τους επαγγελματίες υγείας και στην υψηλή ποιότητα των υπηρεσιών υγείας.  

Στη σημερινή μετανεωτερική ολυμπιακή πραγματικότητα, η χρήση αναχρονιστικών βιολογικών ‘δεδομένων’ ή βιολογίστικων θεωρήσεων (Sandow 1898, Möbius 1908, Coubertin 1912, Weininger 1917, Webster 1930, Pfister 1990), βάσει των οποίων θεσμοθετήθηκαν και δομήθηκαν οι έμφυλες ιεραρχίες στον αθλητισμό αμφισβητούνται και επαναπροσδιορίζονται. Σ’ ένα υπό εξέλιξη θεωρητικό διάλογο στην κοινωνική περιοχή του αθλητισμού και της φυσικής αγωγής, είναι ερευνητικά τεκμηριωμένο ότι το «ανήκειν σε ένα φύλο» είναι αποτέλεσμα πολλών και πολύπλοκων κοινωνικών διεργασιών—πέραν της βιολογικής διαφοράς (Hargreaves 2000, McNay 2000, Evans and Penney 2002, Kirk 2002, Heywood and Dworkin 2003, Χαραχούσου 2003, Creedon 2006, Messner & Raewyn 2007, McDonagh & Pappano 2007, Kamberidou 2007). Στις σύγχρονες συζητήσεις για το φύλο, το έμφυλο υποκείμενο (gendered subject) την έμφυλη ταυτότητα και το ανθρώπινο σώμα, το βιολογικό φύλο (sex) δεν αποτελεί αποκλειστική αναλυτική κατηγορία. Τη θέση του παίρνει το κοινωνικό φύλο (gender) το οποίο διαμορφώνει, προσδιορίζει και επαναπροσδιορίζει την ταυτότητα σύμφωνα με κοινωνικές-πολιτισμικές ερμηνείες και εξελίξεις (Λεοντσίνι 1996, McNay 2000, Μαλουτά 2002, Aitchison 2003, Kimmel 2004, Holmes 2007). Το νόημα του αγγλοσαξονικής προέλευσης όρου gender (φύλο/κοινωνικό φύλο), παραπέμπει στο κοινωνικό υποκείμενο. Ερμηνεύεται σε κοινωνικό-ιστορικό πλαίσιο και δεν αφορά μόνο τις γυναίκες. Έμφυλο υποκείμενο είναι και ο άνδρας... ... Cite as:Καμπερίδου, Ειρήνη (2009) Φύλο & Αθλητισμός. FYLOPAEDIA-Φύλο Παιδεία. Ηλεκτρονικό Εγκυκλοπαιδικό Λεξικό του Προγράμματος ΘΕ.ΦΥΛ.ΙΣ., Εθνικό και Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών  www.thefylis.uoa.gr/fylopedia). Φύλο-Παιδεία  e-λεξικό, ΕΚΠΑ, http://www.fylopedia.uoa.gr/index.php?title=%CE%A6%CF%8D%CE%BB%CE%BF_%CE%BA%CE%B1%CE%B9_%CE%B1%CE%B8%CE%BB%CE%B7%CF%84%CE%B9%CF%83%CE%BC%CF%8C%CF%82 [τροποποιήθηκε τελευταία φορά στις 20:45, 22 Ιουλίου 2009: Αυτή η σελίδα έχει προσπελαστεί 2.345 φορές (τελευταία πρόσβαση 4/5/2015)