Publications by Year: 2014

ObjectivesTwo-stage clinical designs are currently recommended by the regulatory authorities for the assessment of bioequivalence (BE). A specific statistical methodology was recently proposed by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The aims of this article are to elaborate on the suggested statistical design from the EMA and to compare it with the existing statistical methods reported in the literature. MethodsMonte Carlo simulations were used to simulate the conditions of a two-stage BE design. The starting sample size was either 24 or 48, whereas the coefficient of variation of the within-subject variability was equal to 20% and 40%. Several geometric mean ratio levels of the BE metric were considered. Under each condition, 1000000 studies were simulated. Key findingsThe overall performance, in terms of percentage of BE acceptance, is identical. The additional term, sequencexstage', suggested in the EMA method is in most cases nonsignificant. The same results were obtained regardless of the type (fixed or random) of the effect applied to the subjects' term. ConclusionsAny BE study either finished or in progress which relies on the existing literature methodology leads to the same percentage of BE acceptance as if it was analysed with the recently proposed EMA method.

We consider a transportation station, where customers arrive according to a Poisson process. A transportation facility visits the station according to a renewal process and serves at each visit a random number of customers according to its capacity. We assume that the arriving customers decide whether to join the station or balk, based on a natural reward-cost structure. We study the strategic behavior of the customers and determine their symmetric Nash equilibrium strategies under two levels of information.

Given that platelet activating factor (PAF) is a crucial inflammatory phospholipid mediator that is implicated in the mechanism of atherogenesis, the presence of PAF inhibitors in food reinforces their nutritional value in terms of protection against cardiovascular diseases. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the anti-atherogenic (anti-inflammatory) properties of two different types of Greek cheese: Kefalotyri and Ladotyri. Total lipids (TL) of both types of cheese samples were extracted by the method of Bligh and Dyer and separated into total polar lipids (TPL) and total neutral lipids (TNL) by countercurrent distribution. TPL were further separated by preparative thin-layer chromatography (TLC). TL, TPL, TNL and the obtained polar lipid fractions after TLC separation were tested to determine their biological activity towards atherosclerosis based on the in vitro inhibition of PAF-induced platelet aggregation. Both types of cheese samples exhibited strong biological activity, and their lipids were potent PAF inhibitors. Comparing the two types of cheese samples, Ladotyri cheese polar lipid fractions were found to exhibit stronger inhibitory properties than those of Kefalotyri cheese. The fact that both types of cheese were found to contain PAF inhibitors highlights their nutritional value in terms of cardio-protection.

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Journal of Food Science Volume 79, Issue 5, May 2014, Pages R765-R780 The Bioaccumulation and Physiological Effects of Heavy Metals in Carrots, Onions, and Potatoes and Dietary Implications for Cr and Ni: A Review  (Article) Stasinos, S., Nasopoulou, C., Tsikrika, C., Zabetakis, I.  Laboratory of Food Chemistry, Dept. of Chemistry, Univ. of Athens, Athens, Greece View references (69) Abstract The bioaccumulation of heavy metals in food tubers (carrots, onions, and potatoes) as a result of polluted irrigation water has been studied in this review paper. Given that heavy metals can cause a considerable oxidative stress, the impact of these metals to the physiology of the plants has also been assessed. The consumption of vegetables cross-contaminated with heavy metals carries a considerable risk for humans (especially for children and pregnant women) and these dietary implications are discussed while European Food Safety Authority has been urged to look into this matter of concern.

The purpose of this study was to structurally characterise the polar lipids of sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), fed with an experimental diet containing olive pomace (OP), that exhibit cardioprotective activities. OP has been added to conventional fish oil (FO) feed at 4% and this was the OP diet, having been supplemented as finishing diet to fish. Sea bass was aquacultured using either FO or OP diet. At the end of the dietary experiment, lipids in both samples of fish muscle were quantified and HPLC fractionated. The in vitro cardioprotective properties of the polar lipid fractions, using washed rabbit’s platelets, have been assessed and the two most biologically active fractions were further analysed by mass spectrometry. The gas-chromatrograpy–mass spectrometric data shows that these two fractions contain low levels of myristic (14:0), oleic (18:1 cis ω-9) and linoleic acids (18:2 ω-6), but high levels of palmitic (16:0) and stearic acids (18:0) as well as eicosadienoic acid (20:2 ω-6). The first fraction (MS1) also contained significant levels of arachidonic acid (20:4 ω-6) and the omega-3 fatty acids: eicosapentaenoic acid (22:5) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6). Electrospray-mass spectrometry elucidated that the lipid composition of the two fractions contained various diacyl-glycerophospholipids species, where the majority of them have either 18:0 or 18:1 fatty acids in the sn-1 position and either 22:6 or 20:2 fatty acids in the sn-2 position for MS1 and MS2, respectively. Our research focuses on the structure/function relationship of fish muscle polar lipids and cardiovascular diseases and structural data are given for polar lipid HPLC fractions with strong cardioprotective properties.

The spectrin superfamily of proteins plays key roles in assembling the actin cytoskeleton in various cell types, crosslinks actin filaments, and acts as scaffolds for the assembly of large protein complexes involved in structural integrity and mechanosensation, as well as cell signaling. alpha-actinins in particular are the major actin crosslinkers in muscle Z-disks, focal adhesions, and actin stress fibers. We report a complete high-resolution structure of the 200 kDa alpha-actinin-2 dimer from striated muscle and explore its functional implications on the biochemical and cellular level. The structure provides insight into the phosphoinositide-based mechanism controlling its interaction with sarcomeric proteins such as titin, lays a foundation for studying the impact of pathogenic mutations at molecular resolution, and is likely to be broadly relevant for the regulation of spectrin-like proteins.

Abstract The νg$_{9/2}$, d$_{5/2}$, s$_{1/2}$ orbitals are assumed to be responsible for the swift onset of collectivity observed in the region below $^{68}$Ni. Especially the single-particle energies and strengths of these orbitals are of importance. We studied such properties in the nearby $^{67}$Ni nucleus, by performing a (d,p)-experiment in inverse kinematics employing a post-accelerated radioactive ion beam (RIB) at the REX-ISOLDE facility. The experiment was performed at an energy of 2.95 MeV/u using a combination of the T-REX particle detectors, the Miniball γ-detection array and a newly-developed delayed-correlation technique as to investigate μs-isomers. Angular distributions of the ground state and multiple excited states in $^{67}$Ni were obtained and compared with DWBA cross-section calculations, leading to the identification of positive-parity states with substantial νg$_{9/2}$ (1007 keV) and νd$_{5/2}$ (2207 keV and 3277 keV) single-particle strengths up to an excitation energy of 5.8 MeV. 50% of the νd$_{5/2}$ single-particle strength relative to the νg$_{9/2}-orbital is concentrated in and shared between the first two observed 5/2^{+} levels. A comparison with extended Shell Model calculations and equivalent ($^3$He, d) studies in the region around $^{90}_{40}$Zr$_{50}$ highlights similarities for the strength of the negative-parity pf and positive-parity g$_{9/2}$ state, but differences are observed for the d$_{5/2} single-particle strength.

In ferromagnetic/superconducting (FM/SC) planar hybrids, a reentrance of the upper-critical field line H-c2(T) is observed close to T-c. The effect is generally ascribed to the so-called domain-wall superconductivity and has been theoretically explored in great detail. Experimental investigations are limited mostly to FM/SC bilayers in which the FM layers host out-of-plane magnetic domains of strong anisotropy and large width (>300 nm), the SC layer is quite thick (>30 nm), and the external magnetic field was applied normal. To expand our knowledge to until now unexplored conditions, we study a series of Co(d(Co))/Nb(d(Nb))/Co(d(Co)) trilayers under a parallel magnetic field; Co outer layers exhibit out-of-plane magnetic domains of weak anisotropy and small width (<150 nm) and the Nb interlayer is very thin (<20 nm). We demonstrate a strong reentrance of H-c2(T) that can be tuned through the irreversible magnetization processes of the FM outer layers, the two-dimensional character of the SC interlayer, and the matching between the interfering SC and FM length scales. These results refine the nature of the reentrance of H-c2(T) in FM/SC hybrids and can motivate new theoretical and experimental investigations. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.

A series of observations performed with Swift/XRT (Target ID 33042) in the SMC detected a variable X-ray source within the field of view. The source appeared in observations performed on and after 2014 Jan 06, while it remained undetected in the period 2013 Dec 13 - 24. The XRT J2000 position is RA = 01:07:45.00, DEC = -72:27:40.9, (90% error radius of 4.0"). This position matches [MCS2008] 206, detected with Chandra on 2006 Feb 10.

We report an outburst of Swift J0513.4-6547, a 27.28 s pulsar Be/X-ray binary in the Large Magellanic Cloud, which was discovered by Krimm et al. (2009, ATel #2011) and has an orbital period of 27 d (ATel #5511).

Extracellular matrix (ECM) components form a dynamic network of key importance for cell function and properties. Key macromolecules in this interplay are syndecans (SDCs), a family of transmembrane heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs). Specifically, heparan sulfate (HS) chains with their different sulfation pattern have the ability to interact with growth factors and their receptors in tumor microenvironment, promoting the activation of different signaling cascades that regulate tumor cell behavior. The affinity of HS chains with ligands is altered during malignant conditions because of the modification of chain sequence/sulfation pattern. Furthermore, matrix degradation enzymes derived from the tumor itself or the tumor microenvironment, like heparanase and matrix metalloproteinases, ADAM as well as ADAMTS are involved in the cleavage of SDCs ectodomain at the HS and protein core level, respectively. Such released soluble SDCs "shed SDCs" in the ECM interact in an autocrine or paracrine manner with the tumor or/and stromal cells. Shed SDCs, upon binding to several matrix effectors, such as growth factors, chemokines, and cytokines, have the ability to act as competitive inhibitors for membrane proteoglycans, and modulate the inflammatory microenvironment of cancer cells. It is notable that SDCs and their soluble counterparts may affect either the behavior of cancer cells and/or their microenvironment during cancer progression. The importance of these molecules has been highlighted since HSPGs have been proposed as prognostic markers of solid tumors and hematopoietic malignancies. Going a step further down the line, the multi-actions of SDCs in many levels make them appealing as potential pharmacological targets, either by targeting directly the tumor or indirectly the adjacent stroma.

A systematic study of carrier transfer along DNA dimers, trimers and polymers including poly(dG)-poly(dC), poly(dA)-poly(dT), GCGCGC..., ATATAT... is presented allowing to determine the spatiotemporal evolution of electrons or holes along a N base-pair DNA segment. Physical quantities are defined including maximum transfer percentage p and pure maximum transfer rate p/T when a period T is defined; pure mean transfer rate k and speed u=kd, where d is the charge transfer distance. The inverse decay length β for the exponential fit k=k0exp(-βd) and the exponent η for the power-law fit k=k0′N-η are computed. β≈0.2-2 Å-1, k0 is usually 10-2-10-1 PHz, generally ≈10-4-10 PHz. η≈1.7-17, k0′ is usually 10-2-10-1 PHz, generally ≈10-4-10 3 PHz. The results are compared with theoretical and experimental works. This method allows to assess the extent at which a specific DNA segment can serve for charge transfer.

 We give two general mathematical models predicting geopolitical events into a geopolitical system according to Mazis’ lakatosian formulation methodology for a Systemic Geopolitical Analysis. To this end, we consider weighted geopolitical indices and their measurements. When the weighted geopolitical indices, as well as the related geopolitical measurements take values in different times and different geographical points, then they form two sets in the four-dimensional Euclidean space. The distance between these sets can be considered as a measure for assessing the occurrence or not of a geopolitical event. To this direction, we give general frameworks of two algorithms for determining the time moments and geographical points at which is expected the appearance of peculiar geopolitical events.

INTRODUCTION: Novel therapeutic compounds are needed for prostate cancer (CaP), given the limitations of already used drugs and the disease's mortality, often attributed to castrate resistance. Tissue kallikrein and kallikrein-related peptidases (KLKs) form a family of serine proteases aberrantly expressed and broadly implicated in human malignancies. In CaP, KLKs participate in the promotion of cell proliferation, extracellular matrix degradation, tumour cell invasion and metastasis. AREAS COVERED: This review discusses the different ways of inhibiting, modulating and exploiting KLK activity and/or expression as emerging CaP therapeutics. KLKs are targeted by diverse naturally occurring substances, including proteinaceous inhibitors, low-molecular-weight peptides and Zn(2+). Synthetic KLK inhibitors include protein/peptide-based inhibitors and small molecules. A re-engineered serpin-based KLK inhibitor is under evaluation in first-in-human trials as a CaP therapeutic, whereas additional potent and selective KLK inhibitors with relevance to CaP have been synthesized. KLK3-activated pro-drugs have entered Phase I and Phase II clinical trials as therapeutics for prostate tumours. The KLK3-based PROSTVAC(R) vaccine is evaluated in Phase III clinical trials. Targeting KLK expression via RNA interference methods could represent another promising therapeutic approach for CaP. EXPERT OPINION: Apart from their immense biomarker potential, KLKs also hold promise as the basis of novel CaP therapeutics.

The present study aims to assess the current groundwater quality and investigate its temporal evolution in the two identified aquifers (shallow and deep) located in the sedimentary sequence of Pinios River estuary. Significant land use changes mark groundwater management practices of the shallow aquifer over the past years, as traditional crops of high water requirements have been partly substituted by less water demanding crops, and groundwater abstractions have been reduced and substituted by surface water from Pinios River to cover irrigation needs over a large part of the study area. To study the effect of aforementioned land use changes, major groundwater physicochemical parameter values for the year 2013 were assessed and compared to the corresponding data for the years 1998 and 1999. The results indicate that the quality of the shallow aquifer in terms of groundwater salinization and nitrate pollution may be considered as satisfactory with higher groundwater salt content observed in the northern and southern parts of the system. The water quality characteristics of the deep aquifer are overall worse than the shallow aquifer as groundwater salt content is increasing towards the coast. The temporal comparison of the water quality characteristics demonstrates no significant changes for seawater intrusion related parameters such as Electrical Conductivity, and Na+ and Cl- concentrations, but also for pollution related parameters such as NO3 - concentrations.

Boron nitride, like graphene, can be formed as one-atom thick sheets or as nanotubes, then cut into nanoribbons with their atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice. Two-dimensional hexagonal boron-nitride nanoribbons have been extensively investigated due to their excellent mechanical properties and high thermal conductivity. They also resist chemical change and are unaffected by high temperatures, leading researchers to believe that they could be consummate nanomaterials. The dimensions of boron-nitride nanoribbons as well as the shape of their edges, which may be armchair or zigzag, may affect the overall behavior of the nanoribbons. In the present paper, the mechanical behavior of different sized zigzag and armchair boron nitride nanoribbons is numerically investigated and predicted by using a structural mechanics approach based on the Brenner potential for boron nitride bonds. According to the proposed method, appropriate spring elements are combined in nanoscale in order to simulate the interatomic interactions appearing within boron-nitride nanostructure. The study focuses on the prediction of tensile stress-strain behavior of boron-nitride nanoribbons of different sizes and edge shapes as well as the estimation of significant corresponding material properties such as Young’s modulus, Poisson’s ratio, tensile strength stress and tensile failure strain. The numerical results, which are compared with corresponding data given in the open literature where possible, demonstrate thoroughly the important influence of size and chirality of a narrow boron nitride monolayer on its mechanical behavior.

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of intravenous thalidomide administration in an experimental model of musculoskeletal trauma. We hypothesized that because thalidomide inhibits secretion of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), survival of animals that received thalidomide would be significantly prolonged. MATERIAL AND METHODS: After an open fracture of the right femur, 24 rabbits were randomly assigned to control and thalidomide groups. Intravenous therapy with thalidomide was started 30 min after fracture. Hemodynamic monitoring of all animals was performed for 4 h. Survival was recorded and bacterial growth in blood and organs was measured after animal death or sacrifice. Blood was sampled for TNF-α measurement and for isolation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Apoptosis of PBMCs was measured by flow cytometry. RESULTS: Survival was significantly prolonged in the thalidomide group. Apoptosis of PBMCs was increased in the control group compared with the thalidomide group at 24 h. There were no differences in vital signs, blood and tissue cultures, and serum TNF-α concentration between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Intravenous thalidomide prolonged survival in an experimental model of severe musculoskeletal injury in rabbits. Its mechanism of action did not involve TNF-α suppression but prevention of mononuclear apoptosis. In view of these promising results, further research is needed to clarify the immunomodulatory mechanism of action of thalidomide and its potential use for the management of severe trauma.

Magnetic properties of Ga1−xMnxN are studied theoretically by employing a tight binding approach to determine exchange integrals Jij characterizing the coupling between Mn spin pairs located at distances Rij up to the 16th cation coordination sphere in zinc-blende GaN. It is shown that for a set of experimentally determined input parameters there are no itinerant carriers and the coupling between localized Mn3+ spins in GaN proceeds via superexchange that is ferromagnetic for all explored Rij values. Extensive Monte Carlo simulations serve to evaluate the magnitudes of Curie temperature TC by the cumulant crossing method. The theoretical values of TC(x) are in quantitative agreement with the experimental data that are available for Ga1−xMnxN with randomly distributed Mn3+ ions with the concentrations 0.01 ≤ x ≤ 0.1.

A non conventional source or receiver of THz and above THz electromagnetic radiation is proposed. Specifically, electron or hole oscillations in DNA dimers (two interacting DNA base‐pairs or monomers) are predicted, with frequency in the range f ~ 0.25 - 100 THz (period T ~ 10 - 4000 fs) i.e. potentially absorbing or emitting electromagnetic radiation mainly in the mid‐ and far‐infrared with wavelengths ~ 3 - 1200 μm. The efficiency of charge transfer between the two monomers which make up the dimer is described with the maximum transfer percentage p  and the pure maximum transfer rate pf. For dimers made of identical monomers p = 1, but for dimers made of different monomers p < 1. The investigation is extended to DNA trimers (three interacting DNA base‐pairs or monomers). For trimers made of identical monomers the carrier oscillates periodically with f ~ 0.5 - 33 THz (T ~ 30 - 2000 fs); for 0 times crosswise purines p = 1, for 1 or 2 times crosswise purines p < 1. For trimers made of different monomers the carrier movement may be non periodic. Generally, increasing the number of monomers above three, the system becomes more complex and periodicity is lost; even for the simplest tetramer the carrier movement is not periodic.

Aims: We apply both leptonic and leptohadronic emission scenarios for modelling the multiwavelength photon spectra and the observed variability in the optical, X-ray, and TeV gamma-ray energy bands of blazar PKS 2155-304 while being in a low state between 25 August and 6 September 2008. Methods: We consider three emission models, namely a one-component synchrotron self-Compton model (1-SSC), a one-zone proton synchrotron model (LHs), and a two-component SSC model (2-SSC). Only in the first scenario can the emission from the optical up to very high-energy (VHE) gamma-rays be attributed to a single particle population from one emission region. In the LHs model, the low-energy and high-energy bumps of the spectral energy distribution (SED) are the result of electron and proton synchrotron radiation, respectively, i.e. two different particle populations are required. In the 2-SSC model, the emission from one component dominates in the optical and gamma-ray energy bands, while the other one contributes only to the X-ray flux. Using a time-dependent numerical code that solves the kinetic equations for each particle species, we derived, in all cases, acceptable fits to the time-averaged SED. By imposing variations to one (or more) model parameters according to observed variability pattern in one (or more) frequencies we calculated the respective lightcurves and compared them with the observations. Results: We show that the 1-SSC model cannot account for the anticorrelation observed between the X-rays and VHE gamma-rays, although it can explain the time-averaged SED. The anticorrelation can be more naturally explained by the two-component emission models. Both of them reproduce satisfactorily the optical, X-ray, and TeV variability but at the cost of additional free parameters, which from four in the 2-SSC model increase to six in the LHs model. Although the results of our time-resolved analysis do not favour one of the aforementioned models, they suggest that a two-component scenario is more adequate for the emission of PKS 2155-304 in the low state of 2008, which agrees with a recent independent analysis. This suggests that the quiescent blazar radiation might result from a superposition of the radiation from different components, while a flare might still be the result of a single component.

Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM) is a distinct B-cell lymphoproliferative disorder for which clearly defined criteria for the diagnosis, initiation of therapy, and treatment strategy have been proposed as part of the consensus panels of International Workshops on WM (IWWM). As part of the IWWM-7 and based on recently published and ongoing clinical trials, the panels updated treatment recommendations. Therapeutic strategy in WM should be based on individual patient and disease characteristics (age, comorbidities, need for rapid disease control, candidacy for autologous transplantation, cytopenias, IgM-related complications, hyperviscosity, and neuropathy). Mature data show that rituximab combinations with cyclophosphamide/ dexamethasone, bendamustine, or bortezomib/dexamethasone provided durable responses and are indicatedformostpatients. Newmonoclonalan-tibodies (ofatumumab), second-generation proteasome inhibitors (carfilzomib), mam-malian target of rapamycin inhibitors, and Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitors are promising and may expand future treatment options. A different regimen is typically recommended for relapsed or refractory disease. In selected patients with relapsed disease after long-lasting remission, reuse of a prior effective regimen may be appropriate. Autologous stem cell transplantation may be considered in young patients with chemosensitive disease and in newly diagnosed patients with very-high-risk features. Active enrollment of patients with WM in clinical trials is encouraged.

Plasma cell leukemia (PCL) is a rare and aggressive plasma cell disorder, with poor outcome. Bortezomib-based regimens (BBR) are highly effective in myeloma, but there is limited information about their efficacy and safety in PCL. Thus, we retrospectively collected data from 42 consecutive PCL patients (25 with primary PCL-pPCL and 17 with secondary PCL-sPCL) to explore the role of BBR in this entity. BBR were administered in 29 of 42 patients, while 6 of 25 patients with pPCL underwent autologous transplantation. Objective response (≥partial response) was significantly higher in patients treated with BBR versus conventional therapies (69% vs. 30.8%, P=0.04); 27.5% of patients treated with BBR achieved at least very good partial response (vgPR). The highest ORR was observed in pPCL patients treated with BBR (88.9%; ≥vgPR: 33.3%). In BBR-group, grade 3 of 4 hematological, neurological and renal toxicity and neutropenic infections were observed in 41.4%, 7%, 3.4%, and 31%, respectively. With a median follow-up of 51 months, median overall survival (OS) for patients treated with BBR versus conventional therapies was 13 versus 2 months (P<0.007). Median OS of patients with pPCL and sPCL treated with BBR was 18 and 7 months, respectively (P<0.001). In the multivariate analysis normal PLTs, treatment with BBR and high quality response were the only powerful predictors for survival. Our study carrying the longest reported median follow-up, demonstrated that treatment of PCL with BBR induces high response rates and prolongs survival over conventional therapies, regardless of additional autologous transplantation rescue or established high risk features, with manageable toxicity. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Background. Dysplasia epiphysealis hemimelica (DEH) is rare and its main characteristic is osteochondromas of the epiphysis of long bones. Methods. We report a case of DEH of the ankle in an 8-year-old boy that was resected in 2005. Additionally we collect all the reported cases of DEH. The literature is reviewed regarding the treatment, prognosis, long term function, and patterns and areas affected by DEH. Results. In our case no complications were noted and our patient remains asymptomatic. Reviewing the literature we found that 73 authors have reported 144 cases from 1926 to 2013. We propose and describe a new classification that correlates with prognosis. According to our classification DEH is classified as types 1 with single lower limb involvement, 2 with multiple lower limb, 3 with single upper limb, 4 with multiple upper limb, 5 with upper and lower limb, and 6 with spine. Conclusions. All single lesions should be followed up and if indicated a whole body nuclear bone scan can be useful in identifying the existence of multiple affected joints. Type 1 lesions have better prognosis than 2 and have less chances of developing OA even if not resected. Resection, even if partial, can be a successful treatment for DEH.

The extremely large speed of light is a tremendous asset but also makes it challenging to control, store or shrink beyond its wavelength. Particularly, reducing the speed of light down to zero is of fundamental scientific interest that could usher in a host of important photonic applications, some of which are hitherto fundamentally inaccessible. These include cavity-free, low-threshold nanolasers, novel solar-cell designs for efficient harvesting of light, nanoscale quantum information processing (owing to the enhanced density of states), as well as enhanced biomolecular sensing. We shall here present nanoplasmonic-based schemes where timedependent sources excite “complex-frequency†modes in uniform (plasmonic) heterostructures, enabling complete and dispersion-free stopping of light pulses, resilient to realistic levels of dissipative, radiative and surface-roughness losses. Our theoretical and computational results demonstrate extraordinary large lightdeceleration factors (of the order of 15,000,000) in integrated nanophotonic media, comparable only to those attainable with ultracold atomic vapours or with quantum coherence effects, such as coherent population oscillations, in ruby crystals. © 2014 SPIE.

The Turkish political leadership of Davutoğlu-Erdoğan (in this hierarchical order) is fully aware of the gradual erosion of Turkey’s strategic value for the West in general and for NATO specifically. This erosion is attributed to geophysical factors, i.e. the melting of ice along the Northeastern Passage (Bering Strait). This geophysical development shall allow in a few years Russia’s approach to the strategic points of the Pacific Ocean in a timeframe that shall be three times faster in comparison to the US. This fact is expected to undermine in due time the strategic importance of Turkey as a containment factor (along with Greece) of Russian expansion into the warm waters of the Mediterranean. It also reduces significantly the overall strategic role of NATO’s Southeastern Wing, a role which is promoted under the moral-ideological cover of ‘GreekTurkish friendship’. This ‘Greek-Turkish friendship’ is continually challenged by Ankara in the Aegean Sea and in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Cyprus. We should also note that 38% of the territory of Cyprus Republic, a member-state of the European Union, is still under Turkish occupation.

Fractures of the lesser tuberosity of the humerus are typically met in combination with other injuries of the shoulder. Case reports of isolated lesser tuberosity fractures are particularly rare and, consequently, therapeutic protocols have not yet been completely clarified. Conservative as well as surgical treatment has been recommended, while several operative techniques have been applied. We present a case of a 39-year-old man with an isolated lesser tuberosity fracture who was treated surgically in our institution. Due to fracture comminution, a two-level reconstruction technique with headless screws and buttress plate was applied. As far as we know, this method of fixation of this type of fracture has not been previously described in the literature. The patient tolerated the procedure well and excellent results were obtained at the latest follow-up.

Conventional titanium dioxide (TiO2) materials can be activated only by ultraviolet (UV) light, which is only 4-5% of the whole solar spectrum. As a result, visible light (vis)-active TiO2-based photocatalysts have recently received significant attention in the field of TiO2 photocatalytic treatment and purification of water and air. This study reports the preparation of UV-visible light-active phosphorous (P)-doped, fluorine (F)-doped, and PF-co-doped anatase TiO2 nanoparticles via an innovative sol-gel method. Prepared nanoparticles were characterized by UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, Raman spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and porosimetry analysis. Synthesized materials exhibited improved structural properties, including high surface area, small crystallite size, reduced band gap energy, mesoporous structure, and high porosity. Due to doping with P and F, light absorption of TiO2 in the visible light region was efficiently enhanced with effective band gap energy of 2.70 eV. Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area for PF-co-doped, P-doped, F-doped, and reference TiO2 nanoparticles was 212.0, 175.0, 88.8, and 79.7 m2/g, respectively. PF-co-doped TiO2 showed the highest photocatalytic degradation of atrazine, which could be attributed to the beneficial effects including small crystallite size, high BET surface area, and light absorption in UV-visible region, induced by co-doping of TiO2 with P and F. Finally, reaction intermediates were determined, which confirms the photocatalytic degradation of atrazine using the synthesized catalysts under UV-visible light illumination. © Copyright 2014, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. 2014.

Transporters are ubiquitous proteins mediating the translocation of solutes across cell membranes, a biological process involved in nutrition, signaling, neurotransmission, cell communication and drug uptake or efflux. Similarly to enzymes, most transporters have a single substrate binding-site and thus their activity follows Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Substrate binding elicits a series of structural changes, which produce a transporter conformer open toward the side opposite to the one from where the substrate was originally bound. This mechanism, involving alternate outward- and inward-facing transporter conformers, has gained significant support from structural, genetic, biochemical and biophysical approaches. Most transporters are specific for a given substrate or a group of substrates with similar chemical structure, but substrate specificity and/or affinity can vary dramatically, even among members of a transporter family that show high overall amino acid sequence and structural similarity. The current view is that transporter substrate affinity or specificity is determined by a small number of interactions a given solute can make within a specific binding site. However, genetic, biochemical and in silico modeling studies with the purine transporter UapA of the filamentous ascomycete Aspergillus nidulans have challenged this dogma. This review highlights results leading to a novel concept, stating that substrate specificity, but also transport kinetics and transporter turnover, are determined by subtle intramolecular interactions between a major substrate binding site and independent outward- or cytoplasmically-facing gating domains, analogous to those present in channels. This concept is supported by recent structural evidence from several, phylogenetically and functionally distinct transporter families. The significance of this concept is discussed in relationship to the role and potential exploitation of transporters in drug action.

Adrenal hemorrhage (AH) is a rare but serious condition that is often diagnosed at autopsy. Unilateral adrenal hemorrhage (UAH) in adults is extremely rare and is often due to trauma or anticoagulation or is associated with systemic illness. The case of a 73-year-old man who was diagnosed with UAH several days after an elective total knee replacement is presented. The patient had an uncomplicated procedure and he was treated postoperatively with a prophylactic dose of subcutaneous low-molecular- weight heparin and compression sleeves. On postoperative day 8, he reported sustained epigastric and midback pain at the lower thoracic level. He had a temperature of 38.5°C. On clinical examination, the patient expressed only mild tenderness at the lumbar area. Abdominal ultrasound and computed tomography (CT) scan were inconclusive. On postoperative day 13, the patient experienced no pain but remained febrile. An abdominal CT scan revealed a high-density mass on the left adrenal gland suggestive of hemorrhage. The subcutaneous heparin as well as the antimicrobial therapy was discontinued and a serum cortisol examination was done. Serum levels were within normal values in the evening and the morning. On postoperative day 16, all laboratory values returned to normal and the patient was discharged in excellent condition. Patients who have abdominal pain, hypotension, or both soon after initiation of anticoagulation or patients who experience abdominal pain, fever, nausea, or confusion postoperatively should be screened for AH.

Abstract Sedimentary Mesozoic rocks from \{NW\} Greece (Epirus region), and particularly laminated phosphatized limestones, bedded chert-rich limestones and brecciated phosphatized limestones, were examined for their actinide content. Gamma-ray measurements using a \{HPGe\} detector showed that the above geological materials exhibit high radioactivity, mainly attributed to the 238U-series. The 238U content (up to 7700 Bq/kg) was determined by the 1001 keV photopeak of 234mPa, the 238U daughter. Bulk geochemical analyses using ICP-OES/MS showed variable U concentrations with a notable value of 648 ppm in the case of dark organic-rich material hosted into the brecciated phosphatized limestones. Relatively high concentrations of Cd, probably related to apatite, were also revealed. On the other hand, the rock is geochemically depleted in \{LILE\} (e.g. Cs, Rb, K), as well as in As, Sb and Se in contrast to “average phosphorite”. Powder-XRD combined with optical microscopy, SEM–EDS and \{FTIR\} confirmed abundant apatite, besides calcite, as well as organic compounds (organic matter/O.M.) which should be associated to the high U content. According to Th/Sc vs. Zr/Sc discrimination diagrams the organic-rich part of the U-bearing phosphatised limestones exhibits a mafic trend, in contrast to the rest of the studied rocks lying close to typical pelagic sediments. However, Eu/Eu* vs. Ce/Ce* diagrams, in combination with SEM–EDS, indicated that the organic-rich part is a typical sedimentary material whereas the organic-poor (and also U-poor) part of the rock is secondary calcite related to surface waters. As far as we know, the studied rocks from \{NW\} Greece are classified as among the richest U-bearing phosphatized limestones and/or sedimentary phosphorites in the world.

BACKGROUND: Scalp psoriasis, one of the most common sites of psoriasis involvement, is often difficult to control with topical agents. There is a lack of substantial evidence-based data for the efficacy and safety of systemic therapies. METHODS: Two patients from our university-based psoriasis clinic with chronic plaque psoriasis and severe recalcitrant scalp involvement were assessed by Psoriasis Area and Severity Index and Psoriasis Scalp Severity Index scores, respectively, and quality of life by the Dermatology Life Quality Index. RESULTS: We report 2 psoriasis patients with very severe scalp psoriasis who developed a fast clinical response of scalp psoriasis to ustekinumab in 8 weeks with excellent patient adherence up to 28 weeks of follow-up and positive impact on quality of life due to rapid and long-term clearing. CONCLUSION: Ustekinumab produces a fast clinical response of recalcitrant scalp psoriasis with excellent patient adherence and a positive impact on quality of life due to rapid and long-term clearing in patients with very severe scalp involvement who failed conventional topical and systemic treatment.

Noble metal Ag-decorated, monodisperse TiO2 aggregates were successfully synthesized by an ionic strength-assisted, simple sol–gel method and were used for the photocatalytic degradation of the antibiotic oxytetracycline (OTC) under both UV and visible light (UV–visible light) irradiation. The synthesized samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD); UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy; environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM); transmission electron microscopy (TEM); high-resolution TEM (HR-TEM); micro-Raman, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS); and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The results showed that the uniformity of TiO2 aggregates was finely tuned by the sol–gel method, and Ag was well decorated on the monodisperse TiO2 aggregates. The absorption of the samples in the visible light region increased with increasing Ag loading that was proportional to the amount of Ag precursor added in the solution over the tested concentration range. The Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (The BET) surface area slightly decreased with increasing Ag loading on the TiO2 aggregates. Ag-decorated TiO2 samples demonstrated enhanced photocatalytic activity for the degradation of OTC under UV–visible light illumination compared to that of pure TiO2. The sample containing 1.9 wt% Ag showed the highest photocatalytic activity for the degradation of OTC under both UV–visible light and visible light illumination. During the experiments, the detected Ag leaching for the best TiO2-Ag photocatalyst was much lower than the National Secondary Drinking Water Regulation for Ag limit (0.1 mg L−1) issued by the US Environmental Protection Agency. © 2013, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Je soutiens ici que les Britanniques, pour une période d’au moins 70 ans, ne considéraient pas Chypre comme une «colonie d’importance stratégique pour la Couronne». Je soutiens aussi que l’île était probablement placée, par les responsables de la Politique coloniale Britannique, dans la catégorie des «colonies pauvres», étant privée de matières premières ainsi que de toute infrastructure industrielle. Je propose alors aux chercheurs d’examiner comment la «Vieille Albion» concevait l’importance stratégique de Chypre jusqu’à la fin de la 2eme guerre mondiale et par conséquent, qu’ils cessent de toujours blâmer la partie grecque qui, soi-disant, n’a pas considéré cette «sensibilité» britannique et a cherché l’Union, «sans réfléchir, énervant ainsi les Anglais, avec les résultats désagréables qu’on sait».

BACKGROUND: Survivin is a novel antiapoptotic gene, which is a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) family. Recently, 3 splice variants of this gene were cloned and characterized. This study aimed to validate a sensitive and specific method for the detection of survivin variants in breast cancer. METHODS: Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was performed on the cDNA with a reverse primer specific for each splice variant and a pair of common hybridization probes. RESULTS: The expression of wild-type survivin was significantly correlated with survivin-2b, survivin-DeltaEx3, and the ratio of survivin-DeltaEx3 to wild-type survivin (P < .001). The ratio of survivin-2b to wild-type survivin was strongly associated with the ratio of survivin-DeltaEx3 to wild-type survivin (P < .001). There was a strong positive association between the grade of the tumor and survivin-2b mRNA, survivin-DeltaEx3 mRNA, and the ratio of survivin-DeltaEx3 to wild-type survivin mRNA (P < .05). The ratio of survivin-2b to wild-type survivin was significantly associated with the presence of estrogen receptors (P = .05). CONCLUSION: Our validated data suggest that survivin isoforms may be related to clinicopathological features and could be used as molecular prognostic tools or as new therapy targets

BACKGROUND: Survivin is a novel antiapoptotic gene, which is a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) family. Recently, 3 splice variants of this gene were cloned and characterized. This study aimed to validate a sensitive and specific method for the detection of survivin variants in breast cancer. METHODS: Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was performed on the cDNA with a reverse primer specific for each splice variant and a pair of common hybridization probes. RESULTS: The expression of wild-type survivin was significantly correlated with survivin-2b, survivin-ΔEx3, and the ratio of survivin-ΔEx3 to wild-type survivin (P < .001). The ratio of survivin-2b to wild-type survivin was strongly associated with the ratio of survivin-ΔEx3 to wild-type survivin (P < .001). There was a strong positive association between the grade of the tumor and survivin-2b mRNA, survivin-ΔEx3 mRNA, and the ratio of survivin-ΔEx3 to wild-type survivin mRNA (P < .05). The ratio of survivin-2b to wild-type survivin was significantly associated with the presence of estrogen receptors (P = .05). CONCLUSION: Our validated data suggest that survivin isoforms may be related to clinicopathological features and could be used as molecular prognostic tools or as new therapy targets.

Vanishing bone disease (Gorham-Stout syndrome) is a rare entity of unknown etiology, characterized by destruction of osseous matrix and proliferation of vascular structures, resulting in destruction and absorption of bone. Despite the extensive investigation of the pathogenetic mechanisms of the disease, its etiology hasn't been clarified and several theories exist. The syndrome can affect one or multiple bones of the patient, including the skull, the upper and lower extremities, the spine and pelvis. The clinical presentation of a patient suffering from vanishing bone disease includes, pain, functional impairment and swelling of the affected region, although asymptomatic cases have been reported, as well as cases in which the diagnosis was made after a pathologic fracture. In this short review we summarize the theories regarding the etiology as well as the clinical presentation, the diagnostic approach and treatment options of this rare disease.

Aim Although all five of the major mediterranean-climate ecosystems (MCEs) of the world are recognized as loci of high plant species diversity and endemism, they show considerable variation in regional-scale richness. Here, we assess the role of stable Pleistocene climate and Cenozoic topography in explaining variation in regional richness of the globe's MCEs. We hypothesize that older, more climatically stable MCEs would support more species, because they have had more time for species to accumulate than MCEs that were historically subject to greater topographic upheavals and fluctuating climates. Location South-western Africa (Cape), south-western Australia, California, central Chile and the eastern (Greece) and western (Spain) Mediterranean Basin. Methods We estimated plant diversity for each MCE as the intercepts of species–area curves that are homogeneous in slope across all regions. We used two down-scaled global circulation models of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) to quantify climate stability by comparing the change in the location of MCEs between the LGM and present. We quantified the Cenozoic topographic stability of each MCE by comparing contemporary topographic profiles with those present in the late Oligocene and the early Pliocene. Results The most diverse MCEs – Cape and Australia – had the highest Cenozoic environmental stability, and the least diverse – Chile and California – had the lowest stability. Main conclusions Variation in plant diversity in MCEs is likely to be a consequence not of differences in diversification rates, but rather the persistence of numerous pre-Pliocene clades in the more stable MCEs. The extraordinary plant diversity of the Cape is a consequence of the combined effects of both mature and recent radiations, the latter associated with increased habitat heterogeneity produced by mild tectonic uplift in the Neogene.

This is the first documentation of a combination coccosphere from samples collected in the field (North Aegean Sea, NE Mediterranean) between the heterococcolithophore species Coronosphaera mediterranea (Lohmann 1902) Gaarder in Gaarder & Heimdal (1977) and the holococcolithophore species “Zygosphaera hellenica”. This specimen verifies previous combination coccosphere evidence found in culture and again demonstrates that “Zygosphaera hellenica” can be developed from cells of Coronosphaera mediterranea in a life-cycle association.

The active form vitamin D is a seco-steroid with multiple neurotrophic and neuroprotective functions in the central nervous system. Robust evidence from studies in animals suggests that vitamin D deficiency may impair brain physiological functioning causing anatomical and behavioral adverse effects. On the other hand, vitamin D has been found to be protective against biological processes associated with Alzheimer's disease and cognition, including amyloid-β deposition, inflammation, calcium homeostasis, and corticosteroid-induced perturbations in cortical areas and the hippocampus. Human studies that examined the relationship between vitamin D status and cognitive function have provided inconclusive results. The majority of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies suggest a potentially protective association, whereas results from clinical trials are mostly negative, or at best, controversial. We review these studies in humans, with particular emphasis on randomized and observational prospective ones.

We combine new BV photometry with the spectroscopic observations of the Gaia-ESO Survey to study the open cluster NGC6 705. 1028 stars were observed with the HR15n grating of the GIRAFFE instrument at VLT/UT2. The radial velocities obtained for those stars were used to derive membership probabilities. (1 data file).

This work is based on XMM-Newton and Chandra observations 30.0 of the central area of M 31 that were dedicated to the monitoring of SSS states of novae (PI: W. Pietsch). We report on the analysis of three observation campaigns carried out during Nov 2009 to Feb 2010, Nov 2010 to Mar 2011, and Nov 2011 to Mar 2012. (10 data files).

The addition of vorinostat to lenalidomide/dexamethasone represents a novel combination therapy in multiple myeloma (MM), informed by laboratory studies suggesting synergy. This was a phase I, multicenter, open-label, non-randomized, dose-escalating study in patients with relapsed or relapsed and refractory MM. Clinical evaluation, electrocardiogram, laboratory studies and adverse events were obtained and assessed. The maximum-tolerated dose was not reached owing to a non-occurrence of two dose-limiting toxicities per six patients tested at any of the dosing levels. Patients tolerated the highest dose tested (Level 5) and this was considered the maximum administered dose: at 400mg vorinostat on days 1-7 and 15-21, 25mg lenalidomide on days 1-21 and 40mg dexamethasone on days 1, 8, 15 and 22, per 28-day cycle. Drug-related adverse events were reported in 90% of patients serious adverse experiences were reported in 45% of the patients and 22% of all patients had adverse experiences considered, possibly related to study drug by the investigators. A confirmed partial response or better was reported for 14/30 patients (47%) evaluable for efficacy, including 31% of patients previously treated with lenalidomide. Vorinostat in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone proved tolerable with appropriate supportive care, with encouraging activity observed. © 2014 Macmillan Publishers Limited.

We prospectively evaluated the effect of bortezomib, thalidomide and dexamethasone (VTD) consolidation on bone metabolism of 42 myeloma patients who underwent an autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). VTD started on day 100 post ASCT; patients received four cycles of VTD (first block), were followed without treatment for 100 days and then received another four VTD cycles (second block). During this 12-month period, bisphosphonates were not administered. Best response included stringent complete remission (sCR) in 15 (35.7%) patients, complete response (CR) in 13 (30.9%), vgPR in 7 (16.6%), PR in 4 (9.5%), while 3 (7.1%) patients developed a progressive disease (PD). Importantly, 33.3% and 47.6% of patients improved their status of response after the first and second VTD block, respectively. VTD consolidation resulted in a significant reduction of circulating C-terminal cross-linking telopeptide of collagen type I (CTX), soluble receptor activator of the nuclear factor-kappa B ligand (sRANKL) and osteocalcin (OC), whereas bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (bALP) remained stable compared with pre-VTD values. During the study period, only one patient with a PD developed a skeletal-related event (that is, radiation to bone). The median time to progression (TTP) after ASCT was 34 months and the median time of next treatment was 40 months. We conclude that VTD consolidation post ASCT reduces bone resorption and is associated with a very low incidence of skeletal-related events (SREs) despite the absence of bisphosphonates; the later do not appear to be necessary in this context. © 2014 Macmillan Publishers Limited.

Seasonal differences in the water content of fourCodringtoniaspecies were investigated using specimens collected from the field. In addition, rate of water loss and expression of heat-shock protein 70 (Hsp70) were measured in a laboratory setting with sixCodringtoniaspecies subjected to a short-term heat shock. Using a phylogenetic framework, both the Hsp70 expression levels and the rate of water loss were inves tigated for their correlation with spatial and climatic variables. As indicated by the field-collected samples, during summer aestivation only C. helenaeexhibited a tendency for water loss. During the short-term heat shock the rate of water loss inC. helenaewas also significantly greater. No interspecific differences could be detected in the levels of Hsp70 in the species subjected to short-term heat shock. A singleCodringtoniaspecies seemed to maintain increased Hsp70 protein levels. In the species subjected to short-term heat shock, a positive relationship was found between Hsp70 levels and rate of water loss. On the other hand, the Hsp70 levels under normal conditions showed a negative correlation with altitude and mean summer precipitation of the sampling localities. Thus, species seem to adapt to harsher environmental conditions by maintaining higher levels of Hsp70.

Seasonal differences in the water content of fourCodringtoniaspecies were investigated using specimens collected from the field. In addition, rate of water loss and expression of heat-shock protein 70 (Hsp70) were measured in a laboratory setting with sixCodringtoniaspecies subjected to a short-term heat shock. Using a phylogenetic framework, both the Hsp70 expression levels and the rate of water loss were inves tigated for their correlation with spatial and climatic variables. As indicated by the field-collected samples, during summer aestivation only C. helenaeexhibited a tendency for water loss. During the short-term heat shock the rate of water loss inC. helenaewas also significantly greater. No interspecific differences could be detected in the levels of Hsp70 in the species subjected to short-term heat shock. A singleCodringtoniaspecies seemed to maintain increased Hsp70 protein levels. In the species subjected to short-term heat shock, a positive relationship was found between Hsp70 levels and rate of water loss. On the other hand, the Hsp70 levels under normal conditions showed a negative correlation with altitude and mean summer precipitation of the sampling localities. Thus, species seem to adapt to harsher environmental conditions by maintaining higher levels of Hsp70.

Children who begin wheezing during early childhood are frequently seen by health care providers in primary care, in hospitals, and in emergency departments, and by allergists and pulmonologists. When a young child, such as the 2 year-old patient presented here, is evaluated for wheezing, a frequent challenge for clinicians is to determine whether the symptoms represent transient, viral-induced wheezing or whether sufficient risk factors are present to suspect that the child may experience recurrent wheezing and develop asthma. Most factors that influence prognosis are not mutually exclusive, are interrelated (ie, cofactors), and often represent gene-environment interactions. Many of these risk factors have been, and continue to be, investigated in prospective studies to decipher their relative importance with the goal of developing new therapies and interventions in the future. The etiologies of wheezing in young children, diagnostic methods, treatment, prognostic factors, and potential targets for prevention of the development of asthma are discussed.

Presentation at “Media, Religion and Gender in Europe: RISECI –Religion in the Shaping of European Cultural Identity”, organized by the Blanquerna Faculty of Communication and International Relations, University Ramon Llull, with the support of the Culture programme of the European Union, Barcelona, June 13, 2014.---------------------------------------------------------------ABSTRACT------------------------------   A cross-examination of the personal accounts of 210 women travelers and harem inmates of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries in Asia Minor, Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, Africa and other occupied Ottoman territories “the real position of women in the religious system of Islam” (Garnett, 1895: 61). Women travelers from England, France, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Austria and America succeeded in doing what no male traveler, no man, had been able to do before or after them.  They surpassed the socio-religious barriers of Islam and penetrated into the gendered sphere and gendered boundaries of the Ottoman family/household, in other words the multiethnic harems of all the socioeconomic classes in Ottoman society. In contrast to their male counterparts, European and American women identify with the so-called  “Other”  using terms such as “Privileged Rape”, “Slavedom”, “Womanity”, “Woman-kind”, “Liberty”, “Freedom”, “Emancipation”, “Rape”, etc. They discuss the legal position and social privileges of free Muslim women and that of their islamized slaves, who were enslaved women and children of different nations. Namely, the female accounts focus on women’s legal rights with regard to marriage, divorce, child custody, inheritance, veiling or imposed covering of the Muslim female’s face and body, Ottoman sexual politics, among other things.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   MME, ΘΡΗΣΚΕΙΑ ΚΑΙ ΦΥΛΟ ΣΤΗΝ ΕΥΡΩΠΗ: Η ΘΡΗΣΚΕΙΑ ΣΤΗ ΔΙΑΜΟΡΦΩΣΗ ΤΗΣ ΠΟΛΙΤΙΣΤΙΚΗΣ ΤΑΥΤΟΤΗΤΑΣ **Irene Kamberidou (2014). "Wo-manity" in the yoke of the harem:  European women travel writers, authors and journalists of the 17th , 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries.   With Dr. Joseph M. Carbonell, Dean of the Blanquerna Faculty of Communication and International Relations, University Ramon Llull; Dr. Miriam Diez Bosch, Director of the Observatory on Media, Religion and Culture; Dr. Jordi Sanchez, Deputy Director of Blanquerna Observatory and other participants: Dr. Caroline Wilson, Duoda, Woen’s Research Centre, University of Barcelona Dr. Silvia Planas, Director of History of Jews Museum and Institute Nahmanides in Girona. Dr. Mia Lovheim, Professor of Sociology of Religion, Univerisy of Upsala Dr. Emiliana di Blasio, professor of sociology, Rome Dr. Gaspar Martinez, Professor of Votproa Tjeppgu Faculty Dr. Gloria Garcia Romeral Dr. Joanna Sumiala, Universioty of Helsinki Dr. Jordi Sanchez, Deputy Director of Blanquerna Observatory       Riseci.eu University Ramon Llull   Media, Religion and Gender in Europe/ MME, ΘΡΗΣΚΕΙΑ ΚΑΙ ΦΥΛΟ ΣΤΗΝ ΕΥΡΩΠΗ (Barcelona, June 13, 2014), RISECI –Religion in the Shaping of European Cultural Identity/ Η ΘΡΗΣΚΕΙΑ ΣΤΗ ΔΙΑΜΟΡΦΩΣΗ ΤΗΣ ΠΟΛΙΤΙΣΤΙΚΗΣ ΤΑΥΤΟΤΗΤΑΣ The Dean, Dr. Joseph M. Carbonell, Dean of the Blanquerna Faculty of Communication and International Relations, University Ramon Llull Dr. Miriam Diez Bosch, Director of the Observatory on Media, Religion and Culture Dr. Caroline Wilson, Duoda, Woen’s Research Centre, University of Barcelona Dr. Silvia Planas, Director of History of Jews Museum and Institute Nahmanides in Girona. Dr. Mia Lovheim, Professor of Sociology of Religion, Univerisy of Ups[psala Dr. Emiliana di Blasio, professor of sociology, Rome Dr. Gaspar Martinez, Professor of Votproa Tjep;pgu Faculty Dr. Gloria Garcia Romeral Dr. Joanna Sumiala, Universioty of Helsinki Dr. Jordi Sanchez, Deputy Director of Blanquerna Observatory     Barcelona June 14, 2014, after session on Media, Religion and Gender in Europe At the Picasso Museum https://www.facebook.com/obsblanquerna https://www.facebook.com/riseci http://www.periodistadigital.com/religion/opinion/2014/06/13/genero-religion-y-comunicacion-religion-iglesia-blanquerna.shtml    

© Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology 2014. With current advances in medical treatment, reproductive issues have become more important for women with chronic immune-mediated diseases. Most, if not all, patients report that their disease affects their personal relationships, their decision to have children, and the size of their family. These decisions are multi-factorial, influenced mainly by concerns over the effect of pregnancy on the rheumatic disease, the impact of disease activity during pregnancy on foetal health, the patient's ability to care for the child, and the possible harmful effects medication could have on the child, both pre- and post-natally during breastfeeding. Apart from that, women's health issues tend to be overlooked in favour of the management of the underlying rheumatic disease. To this end, we convened an expert panel to review the published literature on women's health and reproductive issues and provide evidence- and eminence-based points to consider for the treating physicians. We conclude that there is a need for a change in mind-set from one which "cautions against pregnancy" to one which "embraces pregnancy" through the practice of individualised, pre- and post-conceptual, multi-disciplinary care.

Context. Classical novae (CNe) represent the major class of supersoft X-ray sources (SSSs) in the central region of our neighbouring galaxy M 31. Aims: We performed a dedicated monitoring of the M 31 central region, which aimed to detect SSS counterparts of CNe, with XMM-Newton and Chandra between Nov. and Mar. of the years 2009/10, 2010/11, and 2011/12. Methods: We systematically searched our data for X-ray counterparts of CNe and determined their X-ray light curves and also their spectral properties in the case of XMM-Newton data. Additionally, we determined luminosity upper limits for all previously known X-ray emitting novae, which are not detected anymore, and for all CNe in our field of view with recent optical outbursts. Results: In total, we detected 24 novae in X-rays. Seven of these sources were known from previous observations, including the M 31 nova with the longest SSS phase, M31N 1996-08b, which was found to fade below our X-ray detection limit 13.8 yr after outburst. Of the new discoveries, several novae exhibit significant variability in their short-term X-ray light curves with one object showing a suspected period of about 1.3 h. We studied the SSS state of the most recent outburst of a recurrent nova, which had previously shown the shortest time ever observed between two outbursts (~5 yr). The total number of M 31 novae with X-ray counterpart was increased to 79, and we subjected this extended catalogue to detailed statistical studies. Four previously indicated correlations between optical and X-ray parameters could be confirmed and improved. Furthermore, we found indications that the multi-dimensional parameter space of nova properties might be dominated by a single physical parameter, and we provide interpretations and suggest implications. We studied various outliers from the established correlations and discuss evidence of a different X-ray behaviour of novae in the M 31 bulge and disk. Conclusions: Exploration of the multi-wavelength parameter space of optical and X-ray measurements is shown to be a powerful tool for examining properties of extragalactic nova populations. While there are hints that the different stellar populations of M 31 (bulge vs. disk) produce dissimilar nova outbursts, there is also growing evidence that the overall behaviour of an average nova might be understood in surprisingly simple terms. Partly based on observations with XMM-Newton, an ESA Science Mission with instruments and contributions directly funded by ESA Member States and NASA.Tables 1-9 are only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (ftp://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/563/A2

We report on the evolution of the current X-ray outburst of the LMC Be/X-ray binary pulsar RX J0520.5-6932 (see ATel #5673) from our Swift/XRT monitoring. Since the start of the outburst (2013 Dec 28) the luminosity of the source has continued to rise to a maximum of 1.91×1038erg s-1 (0.3-10 keV band), which is close to or at the Eddington limit for a neutron star.

Context. Astronomical observations, analytical solutions, and numerical simulations have provided the building blocks to formulate the current theory of young stellar object jets. Although each approach has made great progress independently, it is only during the past decade that significant efforts have been made to bring the separate pieces together. Aims: Building on previous work that combined analytical solutions and numerical simulations, we apply a sophisticated cooling function to incorporate optically thin energy losses in the dynamics. On one hand, this allows a self-consistent treatment of the jet evolution, and on the other hand, it provides the necessary data to generate synthetic emission maps. Methods: Firstly, analytical disk and stellar outflow solutions are properly combined to initialize numerical two-component jet models inside the computational box. Secondly, magneto-hydrodynamical simulations are performed in 2.5D, correctly following the ionization and recombination of a maximum of 29 ions. Finally, the outputs are post-processed to produce artificial observational data. Results: The values for the density, temperature, and velocity that the simulations provide along the axis are within the typical range of protostellar outflows. Moreover, the synthetic emission maps of the doublets [O i], [N ii], and [S ii] outline a well-collimated and knot-structured jet, which is surrounded by a less dense and slower wind that is not observable in these lines. The jet is found to have a small opening angle and a radius that is also comparable to observations. Conclusions: The first two-component jet simulations, based on analytical models, that include ionization and optically thin radiation losses demonstrate promising results for modeling specific young stellar object outflows. The generation of synthetic emission maps provides the link to observations, as well as the necessary feedback for further improvement of the available models.

Context. Astronomical observations, analytical solutions, and numerical simulations have provided the building blocks to formulate the current theory of young stellar object jets. Although each approach has made great progress independently, it is only during the past decade that significant efforts have been made to bring the separate pieces together. Aims: Building on previous work that combined analytical solutions and numerical simulations, we apply a sophisticated cooling function to incorporate optically thin energy losses in the dynamics. On one hand, this allows a self-consistent treatment of the jet evolution, and on the other hand, it provides the necessary data to generate synthetic emission maps. Methods: Firstly, analytical disk and stellar outflow solutions are properly combined to initialize numerical two-component jet models inside the computational box. Secondly, magneto-hydrodynamical simulations are performed in 2.5D, correctly following the ionization and recombination of a maximum of 29 ions. Finally, the outputs are post-processed to produce artificial observational data. Results: The values for the density, temperature, and velocity that the simulations provide along the axis are within the typical range of protostellar outflows. Moreover, the synthetic emission maps of the doublets [O i], [N ii], and [S ii] outline a well-collimated and knot-structured jet, which is surrounded by a less dense and slower wind that is not observable in these lines. The jet is found to have a small opening angle and a radius that is also comparable to observations. Conclusions: The first two-component jet simulations, based on analytical models, that include ionization and optically thin radiation losses demonstrate promising results for modeling specific young stellar object outflows. The generation of synthetic emission maps provides the link to observations, as well as the necessary feedback for further improvement of the available models.

The aim of this study was to examine student teachers’ definitions of school bullying and perceived seriousness of bullying. Participants were 522 students at the Faculty of Primary Education, University of Athens, Greece. They replied to a question about the perceived seriousness of bullying and to an open question about the definition of bullying (Nikolaides, Toda, & Smith, 2002). Results showed that a considerable percentage of prospective teachers regarded bullying as a serious matter. In their definitions of bullying, they placed emphasis on physical and verbal bullying, on the bully’s intention to produce harm and on the victim’s suffering (empathy). However, some other important facets of bullying, such as duration/repetition, imbalance of power between bully and victim, the unjustified, unprovoked and group nature of bullying behavior, were much less frequently reported. Also, prospective teachers had considerable difficulty including in their definitions references to social exclusion as a specific form of bullying. Statistical significant differences in the above variables emerged as a function of gender and job experience. Results are discussed in comparison with the rather few relevant studies conducted in other countries on this issue and suggestions for the education of prospective teachers are made.

(2014). Από την αρχαία συμμετρία στη σύγχρονη αμετρία: Αρχές της φιλοσοφίας και αρχές του αθλητισμού Οι κορυφαίες φιλοσοφικές μορφές της ελληνικής αρχαιότητας, όπως ο Σωκράτης, ο Πλάτων και ο Αριστοτέλης, επηρέασαν καθοριστικά τη μεταγενέστερη φιλοσοφία έως και τις μέρες μας, ενώ αποτελούν τους παραδειγματικούς εκφραστές της αρετολογίας της αρχαίας Ελλάδας, αλλά και τους ιδανικούς εμπνευστές αρεταϊκών ιδεωδών στο σύγχρονο κόσμο. Με τις αναλύσεις τους για τη σχέση μεταξύ ψυχής και σώματος και τον τονισμό της αξίας της σωματικής άσκησης των νέων οι φιλόσοφοι αυτοί προσέδωσαν στον αρχαίο ελληνικό αθλητισμό σημασία πρωτόγνωρη για τα δεδομένα της εποχής. Ο αρχαίος αθλητής ήταν μέτοχος ενός πολιτισμού που εξέφραζε το σύμμετρον, το οποίο δεν ήταν παρά η αποτύπωση των φυσικών γνωρισμάτων του ελληνικού λαού. Η επιθυμητή αρμονία της ψυχής και του σώματος, που συνιστά το ιδεώδες της καλοκἀγαθίας, αποτελεί κεντρικό στοιχείο του αθηναϊκού πολιτισμού. Η φιλοσοφική προσέγγιση του σώματος δείχνει ότι οι εποχές και οι λαοί νοηματοδότησαν διαφορετικά τη σωματικότητα. Έτσι, ενώ στην κλασική αρχαιότητα η ψυχοσωματική ανάπτυξη εκλαμβάνεται ισομερής, αντίθετα στη βυζαντινή περίοδο η σωματικότητα εκλαμβάνεται πολύ υποδεέστερα απέναντι στην πνευματικότητα. Στις μεταβιομηχανικές κοινωνίες, όμως, έως και σήμερα κυριαρχεί η εμμονή στην επιδίωξη του κέρδους. Στο χώρο ειδικότερα του αθλητισμού, και σε αντίθεση με τον αρχαίο αθλητή, ο σύγχρονος αθλητής βάλλεται από ένα ιδεολογικά κερδοκεντρικό σύστημα, το οποίο επικροτεί το άμετρο, την υπερβολή, την βιομηχανοποίηση της επίδοσης και την εργαλειοποίηση του ανθρώπινου σώματος. Η αποσαφήνιση της αντιιδεαλιστικής και αντισυστημικής σχέσης της φιλοσοφίας με τη σωματικότητα του αθλητισμού υπόκειται στην ανάγκη για την όρθωση και την επεξεργασία μιας σύγχρονης φιλοσοφικής ανθρωπολογίας. Εάν δεν απαντηθεί εκ νέου το ερώτημα «τι είναι άνθρωπος», τότε τα μεταβιομηχανικά υλιστικά πρότυπα, καθώς μάλιστα διογκώνονται μέσα από την επικράτηση της σύγχρονης οικονομικής παγκοσμιοποίησης, παραμένουν κυρίαρχα και επιβεβλημένα. Παράλληλα, η ευγενής άμιλλα, αποτελώντας τον πυρήνα του αθλητικού ιδεώδους, λειτουργεί ως καίριο στοιχείο ηθικής αγωγής, και, κυρίως, αντιστέκεται στην πλεονεξία και στη σύγχρονη αμετρία.

Σημαντικὸ ρόλο στὴν ἀνάγνωση καὶ κατανόηση τῶν πολιτικοψυχολογικῶν ὅρων ποὺ ὡδήγησαν στὸν Μεγάλο Πόλεμο διεδραμάτισε ἡ διάδοσις τῶν ἀπόψεων τοῦ Sir Halford Mackinder καὶ τοῦ Friedrich Ratzel, καὶ συνεπῶς, ἡ ἀντίληψις ποὺ θέλει τὶς Χερσαῖες/Ἠπειρωτικὲς ∆υνάμεις νὰ ἐπικρατοῦν, ἐν τέλει, ἔναντι τῶν Ναυτικῶν  ∆υνάμεων. Το παρόν κείμενο αναφέρεται στη γεωστρατηγικὴ αντιπαλότητα της Ἀγγλίας και της Γερμανίας, αναλύοντας σε γεωπολιτικό επίπεδο τον Μεγάλο Πόλεμο.

Τὸ ἄρθρον ἐπικεντρώνεται εἰς τὴν γεωπολιτικὴν ἀνάλυσιν τῶν ἐνδοϊσλαμικῶν ἀνταγωνισμῶν ἰσχύος τῶν διεξαγομένων εἰς τὸ ἀσταθὲς σύστημα ΣυρίαςΛιβάνου. Ἡ γεωπολιτικὴ βαρύτητα ἡ ἐκπροσωπουμένη ἐκ τοῦ ὑποσυστήματος Συρίας-Λιβάνου, ἐντὸς τοῦ συστήματος τῆς Εὐρυτέρας Μέσης Ἀνατολῆς, ὡδήγησε μὲ ταχεῖς ρυθμούς εἰς τὸν μετασχηματισμὸν τῆς συριακῆς κρίσεως εἰς ἕνα περιφερειακὸν ἀνταγωνισμὸν μὲ ὑπερσυστημικὲς ἐπιρροές. Εἰς τὸ πρῶτον μέρος τοῦ ἄρθρου, ἀναλύεται ἡ καταλυτικὴ στρατιωτικὴ ἐμπλοκὴ τοῦ σηιτικοῦ γεωπολιτικοῦ παράγοντος (Ἰράν, Χεζμπαλᾶ) ἐπὶ τοῦ συριακοῦ ἐδάφους κατὰ τὸ πρῶτον ἥμισυ τοῦ 2013, καθὼς καὶ ἡ γεωπολιτικὴ σημασία, κατὰ πρῶτον, τῆς συμφωνίας ΗΠΑ-Ρωσσίας γιὰ τὸ συριακὸ χημικὸ ὁπλοστάσιο (Σεπτέμβριος 2013) καὶ ἀκολούθως, τῆς ἐνάρξεως τοῦ διπλωματικοῦ διαλόγου Οὐάσιγκτων-Τεχεράνης (Ὀκτώβριος-Νοέμβριος 2013). Τὰ ἄμεσα ἀποτελέσματα ἦσαν ἡ σταθεροποίησις τοῦ φιλο-ἰρανικοῦ καθεστῶτος Ἄσαντ καὶ ἡ ἀκύρωσις τῆς σαουδαραβικῆς ἐπιδιώξεως τῆς χρησιμοποιήσεως τῶν συριακῶν ἐδαφῶν διὰ τὴν ἰδικήν της ἀμφίπλευρον προβολήν ἰσχύος ἐπὶ τοῦ Λιβάνου καὶ τοῦ Ἰράκ. Εἰς τὸ δεύτερο καὶ κυρίως μέρος τοῦ ἄρθρου, ἀναλύονται οἱ ἀντενέργειες —ὡς πρὸς τὶς ἀνωτέρω ἐξελίξεις— τοῦ σονητικοῦ παράγοντος, ἐντὸς τοῦ ὑποσυστήματος Συρίας-Λιβάνου. Εἰδικώτερον, ἐξετάζονται οἱ γεωστρατηγικοὶ χειρισμοὶ τῆς Σαουδικῆς Ἀραβίας, οἱ στοχεύοντες νὰ ἀποτρέψουν μιὰν κρίσιμον ἀπόκλισιν τῆς περιφερειακῆς ἀνακατανομῆς ἰσχύος ὑπὲρ τοῦ Ἰράν. Ἐπίσης, καταγράφονται οἱ τρομοκρατικὲς ἐνέργειες τῶν νεοεμφανιζομένων σονιτικῶν ἐξτρεμιστικῶν ὀργανώσεων τῶν σχετιζομένων μὲ τὴν Ἀλ Κάϊντα, οἱ  ἐπιδιώκουσες τὴν ἀπόκτησιν ηὐξημένης ἰσχύος καὶ ρόλου, μέσῳ τῆς μεγαλυτέρας ἀποσταθεροποιήσεως τοῦ ὑποσυστήματος

Μήπως ο δομικός μηχανισμός του αθλητισμού που επικεντρώνεται στις διαφορές των φύλων αποτελεί ταυτόχρονα μηχανισμό παραγωγής κοινωνικής ανισότητας; Μήπως η επικέντρωση στην έμφυλη διαφορά/κατηγοριοποίηση στον αγωνιστικό αθλητισμό αποτελεί αφορμή για την αναπαραγωγή κοινωνικών ανισοτήτων (π.χ. υποεκπροσώπηση στους αθλητικούς θεσμούς);  Μήπως η βιολογική βάση του αξιολογικού χαρακτήρα της διχοτομίας των φύλων στον αγωνιστικό αθλητισμό αποτελεί κατά ένα μεγάλο μέρος κοινωνικό κατασκεύασμα;  Αυτή η εργασία τεκμηριώνει ότι ο ολυμπιακός αθλητισμός λειτούργησε και λειτουργεί ως μέσο κοινωνικής χειραφέτησης  για τις γυναίκες, μολονότι εμφανίζεται στις αρχές της κοινωνικής του παρουσίας ως εκείνος ο θεσμός ο οποίος εμφανέστατα περιθωριοποίησε τις γυναικείες αξιώσεις για συμμετοχή στα ολυμπιακά δρώμενα. Αρχικά εξετάζουμε πως κατασκευάστηκε και παγιώθηκε ο κοινωνικός μύθος περί «ασθενές φύλου», κυρίως με βάση αντιλήψεις ιατρικής προέλευσης, ειδικά τις τελευταίες δεκαετίες του 19ου αιώνα  όταν αναπτύσσονταν «επιστημονικά» ενισχυμένες αντιλήψεις που αποσκοπούσαν στον αποκλεισμό των γυναικών από δημόσιου χαρακτήρα δραστηριότητες (Sandow 1898, Moebius 1908, Weininger 1917, Webster 1930, Pfister 1990. Στη συνέχεια, όσον αφορά στη γυναικεία αθλητική επιχειρηματικότητ, παρουσιάζουμε τις συστηματικές προσπάθειες της Alice Milliat, Γαλλίδας αθλήτριας/ακτιβίστριας και Προέδρου της Παγκόσμιας Ομοσπονδίας Γυναικείου Αθλητισμού (FSFI), η οποία διοργάνωνε αυτόνομους Γυναικείους Ολυμπιακούς Αγώνες, καθώς και διάφορα γυναικεία πρωταθλήματα, όπως γυναικείο ποδόσφαιρο και ποδηλασία, σε εποχές που η αθλητική δραστηριότητα των γυναικών στιγματίζονταν κοινωνικά και η ενασχόληση της γυναίκας με τον αγωνιστικό αθλητισμό θεωρείτο βιολογικά και ψυχικά επιβλαβής. Οι γυναικείες Ολυμπιάδες ήταν η απάντηση   φεμινιστικών κύκλων με επικεφαλής τη γαλλίδα Alice Milliat, απέναντι στις συνεχείς αρνήσεις της ΔΟΕ,  της Διεθνούς Ομοσπονδίας Ερασιτεχνικού Αθλητισμού (International Amateur Athletic Federation) και του ίδιου του Coubertin να επιτραπεί στις γυναίκες να συμμετάσχουν σε ολυμπιακά αθλήματα, θεωρούμενα κατ' εξοχήν ανδρικά, όπως οι αγώνες δρόμου. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Invited speaker

1. Καμπερίδου, Ειρήνη (2014). «Γυναικεία επιχειρηματικότητα: ο αθλητισμός ως πεδίο κοινωνικής χειραφέτησης». Εισήγηση, μετά από πρόσκληση στην επιστημονική εσπερίδα του Δήμου Παιανίας και του Συλλόγου «ΔΗΜΟΣΘΕΝΗΣ» 2/5/2014 με θέμα ‘Γυναίκα & Άθληση «… Μουσικήν τε και Γυμναστικής…» για την μορφοποίηση  της Γυμναστικής στην ιδιοσυγκρασία και στην  υπηρεσία της Γυναίκας.’

• Kamberidou, I. (2014). Women entrepreneurs: sport, a social emancipation space. Presentation at the seminar/lectures on Women & Sport – Music and Gymnastices’, organized by the Municipality of Peania, Greece.

«Μουσικήν τε και Γυμναστικής» για την μορφοποίηση  της Γυμναστικής στην ιδιοσυγκρασία και στην  υπηρεσία της Γυναίκας.’

Τα έργα, τα ταξιδιωτικά χρονικά, τα προσωπικά ημερολόγια και οι επιστολές δυτικών περιηγητριών που δεν έχουν δει το φως της δημοσιότητας, σε σύγκριση μ' εκείνα των περιηγητών, μας προσφέρουν ένα ανεξερεύνητο, πρωτότυπο και αδημοσίευτο υλικό, καθώς και μια γυναικεία οπτική και προσέγγιση της οσμανικής πραγματικότητας. Χιλιάδες γυναίκες, Αγγλίδες, Γαλλίδες, Γερμανίδες, Σουηδέζες, Ελβετές, Αυστριακές και Αμερικανίδες επισκέφτηκαν, φιλοξενήθηκαν κι έμειναν σε χαρέμια της οθωμανικής κοινωνίας. Περιηγήθηκαν, εξερεύνησαν, έζησαν ως μόνιμες κάτοικοι ή υπηρέτησαν ως εθελόντριες, ως ιεραπόστολοι, ως εκπαιδευτικοί και ως νοσοκόμες, σε κατεχόμενες από τον τουρκικό ζυγό περιοχές που θεωρούνταν, σύμφωνα με τις μαρτυρίες τους, βάρβαρες και επικίνδυνες για το γυναικείο φύλο, όπως η Μικρά Ασία, ο Πόντος, η Κύπρος, η Ελλάδα κ.ά. Εργάστηκαν σε χαρέμια ως ζωγράφοι, ως γκουβερνάντες, ως καμαριέρες, ως υπηρέτριες ή ως συνοδοί γυναικών της οθωμανικής ελίτ κ.ά. Η έρευνα βασίστηκε σε πολύ εκτεταμένο, πλούσιο και πρωτότυπο αρχειακό υλικό, άγνωστου μέχρι πρότινος (Καμπερίδου 2002, 2014) Εντοπίσαμε, επιλέξαμε και συγκεντρώσαμε τα έργα 210 δυτικών περιηγητριών του 17ου, 18ου, 19ου και αρχών του 20ου αιώνα – περί τα 650 έργα -ταξιδιωτικά χρονικά, άρθρα και επιστολές, τα οποία μας οδήγησαν, μέχρι στιγμής, στην εύρεση τουλάχιστον 6.000 δυτικών περιηγητριών. Η εξονυχιστική έρευνα, καταγραφή, μελέτη και διασταύρωση πληροφοριών-μαρτυριών των περιηγητριών που βασίζονται αποκλειστικά στην επιτόπια παρατήρηση τους αναδεικνύει το χαρέμι ως σημαντικό θεσμό, για να ερμηνεύσουμε και να κατανοήσουμε τη δομή και λειτουργία της οθωμανικής κοινωνίας. Με πλοηγό την πρωτογενή γυναικεία πληροφόρηση του 18ου και 19ου αιώνα, εξετάζουμε το θεσμό του οθωμανικού χαρεμιού, για να αντλήσουμε πληροφορίες για τον πολυεθνικό θεσμό της δουλείας, τον δεσποτισμό και την επεκτατική πολιτική του θεοκρατικού και αυταρχικού συστήματος της Οθωμανικής Αυτοκρατορίας. Εν ολίγοις, το χαρέμι αποτελεί ένα εργαλείο - μέσο παρατήρησης για την κατανόηση και ερμηνεία ολόκληρης της οθωμανικής κοινωνίας η οποία βασιζόταν στον θεσμό της δουλείας - σ' όλη την επικράτεια - από την υπόδουλη Αθήνα έως την υπόδουλη Θεσσαλονίκη, από την Κωνσταντινούπολη έως την Τραπεζούντα κλπ. [Μόνιμη διεύθυνση (Πέργαμος) https://pergamos.lib.uoa.gr/uoa/dl/object/2417974] --------------------------------------------------------------Η Πολυεθνική Δουλεία-Γυναικείες μαρτυρίες. Το Χαρέμι αποτελεί ένα εργαλείο παρατήρησης για την κατανόηση και ερμηνεία ολόκληρης της Οθωμανικής κοινωνίας, η οποία βασιζόταν στο θεσμό της δουλείας, από την υπόδουλη Αθήνα έως την υπόδουλη Θεσσαλονίκη, από την Κωνσταντινούπολη έως την Τραπεζούντα, κτλ. Το βιβλίο πραγματεύεται την πραγματική καθημερινή ζωή της γυναίκας στο "επίκεντρο της ίντριγκας", σύμφωνα με τις επιτόπιες μαρτυρίες 210 δυτικών περιηγητριών και έγκλειστων στα χαρέμια γυναικών του 17ου, 18ου, 19ου και αρχές 20ου αιώνα. Θεματολογία: γυναικεία περιήγηση· μαρτυρίες ιστορικών γεγονότων· δουλεμπόριο· σκλαβοπάζαρα· εξισλαμισμός· ευνουχισμός· νεομάρτυρες· κρυπτοχριστιανοί· "προνομιακός βιασμός"· Ελληνίδες σουλτάνες· γυναικοκρατούμενη κυβέρνηση· γυναικεία δίκτυα· πελατειακές σχέσεις· παιδικό χαρέμι· αποδράσεις· αποστασία από το Ισλάμ· ήθη και έθιμα· γάμος· διαζύγιο· μοιχεία· εκπαίδευση· αντιλήψεις για το σώμα· χορός, μουσική και εκγύμναση ως σύμβολα κοινωνικής κατωτερότητας· γυναικεία λουτρά· χαμάμ· υπερκατανά- λωση τροφών και ναρκωτικών ουσιών· παχυσαρκία· το πάχος ένδειξη ανώτερου κοινωνικού στάτους· χοροί και μουσική των υποτελών λαών: Ελλήνων, Αρμενίων, Τσιγγάνων, κ.ά.

Σε αυτό το άρθρο επιχειρούμε να εστιάσουμε στον τρόπο που μπορεί να αξιοποιηθεί μεθοδολογικά η αρχή της διαψευσιμότητας στον έλεγχο των θεωρητικών εννοιών που χρησιμοποιούνται για την ερμηνεία του μετασχηματισμού κοινωνικών δομών, ή θεσμών. Μέσα από την ανάδειξη των προβληματικών σημείων της μαρξιστικής προσέγγισης (π.χ. ντετερμινισμός, αναγωγική λογική, πραγμοποίηση και ανθρωπομορφισμός) επιχειρείται η ανασκευή των προβλημάτων που είτε λανθάνουν, είτε αναφέρονται, αλλά δεν επιλύονται, σε άλλα σχετικά άρθρα. Αυτό που επιχειρείται από την πλευρά μας είναι η ανάπτυξη μιας ευρύτερης και γενικότερης συζήτησης πάνω στον τρόπο με τον οποίο χρησιμοποιείται το θεωρητικό και εννοιολογικό πλαίσιο κατά την ερμηνεία στην ιστορία της εκπαίδευσης.

(2014). Η έννοια του αγώνα και το αγωνιστικό ιδεώδες των Ελλήνων Κατά την περίοδο της ελληνικής αρχαιότητας η ιστορία ενώνεται με το μύθο, ο συμβολισμός με την παράδοση και η εγκράτεια με την έμπνευση, σε ένα φάσμα εξαιρετικά ευρύ. Πίσω από τις εκδηλώσεις της ζωής κρύβεται, ωστόσο, η ψυχή του λαού, η οποία ως θεμελιώδη χαρακτηριστικά έχει την αγάπη προς το ωραίο, την ελευθερία και τον αγώνα. Το ελληνικό πνεύμα με τη διαρκή αγωνιστικότητα δημιούργησε τον πολιτισμό του ηθικά και αισθητικά ωραίου, καθώς και τον πολιτισμό της ελευθερίας, τις δύο μορφές πολιτισμού που χαρακτηρίζουν και την αρχαία και τη μεσαιωνική και τη σύγχρονη Ελλάδα. Από τότε που εμφανίζεται για πρώτη φορά ο Έλληνας μέχρι σήμερα διαρκώς αγωνίζεται, πότε κατά τον πόλεμο και πότε κατά την ειρήνη. Αγωνίζεται ως άτομο, αλλά και ως κοινωνικό και πολιτικό σύνολο, ως πόλη της αρχαιότητας, αλλά και ως κρά­τος μεσαιωνικό ή νεότερο, ως ομάδα και φυλή, ως οικογένεια και γένος, ως λαός και έθνος. Δεν είναι τυχαίο, εξάλλου, ότι ως ‘έθνος’ οργανώθηκε μέσα στη φάση αντιπαλότητας των διαιρεμένων πόλεων που πολεμούσαν μεταξύ τους. Οι προσπάθειες, οι μάχες και οι αγώνες είναι, κατά κάποιο τρόπο, το πεπρωμένο του Έλληνα στη μακρινή του πορεία. Ειδικότερα ο όρος «αγών», έχοντας τόση ιστορία πίσω του όση και η ίδια η Ελλάδα, αποκαλύπτει το αγωνιστικό ιδεώδες της ελληνικής ψυχής. Ο έμφυτος ατομισμός του Έλληνα, αντίθετα με ό,τι ίσχυσε για την υποτακτική προσωπικότητα του ανθρώπου της Ανατολής, τον βοήθησε ν’ ανακαλύ­ψει τη μορφή του φορέα του αγώνα, δηλαδή τον ένα άνθρωπο. Από τη στιγμή της εισόδου του στην ιστορική κονίστρα, είτε αυτή επρόκειτο για την αρχαία παλαίστρα, είτε για κάθε πεδίο δράσης όπου εκδηλώνεται ανταγωνισμός για την επικράτηση, ο άνθρωπος σταμάτησε, πλέον, να συνιστά μια αφανή μονάδα, και έγινε ελεύθερη οντότητα, συνιστώντας οργανικό µέρος του πολιτικού και κοινωνικού συνόλου. Ο ανθρωπολογικός ατομισμός των Ελλήνων, σε συνδυασμό με την κοινωνικότητά τους, γέννησε, επομένως, τον αγώνα, ως αποτέλεσμα της σύνθεσης του ατομικού και του κοινωνικού στοιχείου της ελληνικής ψυχής. Το αγωνιστικό πνεύμα αφήνει τα ίχνη του σε όλες τις πτυχές της ιστορικής ζωής, όπως δηλώνει και η διαμόρφωση από τους Έλληνες των αθλητικών αγώνων, οι οποίοι υπογραμμίζουν την καθολικότητα του αγωνιστικού φαινομένου της ελληνικής ζωής. Το υγιές πνεύμα της άμιλλας και του αγώνα αποτέλεσε διαρκές κίνητρο νέας δημιουργίας, ήταν δηλαδή κίνητρο παιδείας. Ο ελληνικός πολιτισμός συνίσταται, εν τέλει, σε µία ισορροπία αντιθέσεων, που, όμως, δεν αποσυντίθεται όπως ίσως θα αναμενόταν, αλλ’ αντιθέτως, αυτοσυντηρείται και εξελίσσεται. Ο σύγχρονος αγώνας συνεχίζεται στα νέα πεδία της ιστορικής δράσης του ελληνισμού. Κι αν το αρχαίο ελληνικό θαύμα ως ιστορικό φαινόμενο έμεινε ανεπανάληπτο, ωστόσο ο αγώνας δεν διακόπηκε, αλλά έλαβε άλλες μορφές, τις οποίες υπαγορεύουν οι ανάγκες των νέων καιρών. Ο ουσιαστικότερος αγώνας, πάντως, σήμερα είναι ο ανθρωπιστικός, ο οποίος δίνει έμφαση στην αξία του ανθρώπου, υποστηρίζοντας πως αληθινό είναι μόνο ό,τι προάγει την ανθρώπινη ζωή και οδηγεί τον άνθρωπο στην ολοκλήρωσή του. *** ΟΙ ΔΙΑΛΟΓΟΙ ΤΩΝ ΑΘΗΝΩΝ. Αγώνες πνεύματος και αγώνες σώματος. Ίδρυμα Ωνάση- harvard.eduhttp://athensdialogues.chs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/athensdialogues.woa/wa/dist?dis=156http://www.blod.gr/lectures/Pages/viewlecture.aspx?LectureID=1336 http://www.blod.gr/lectures/Pages/viewevent.aspx?EventID=341                 https://el-gr.facebook.com/athensdialogues/posts/10152367758716810                http://www.athensdialogues.org/el/academic-events-el/conferences-2014-el/races-body-   spirit- el/video-el/ http://argos.chs.harvard.edu:9090/media/ad-2014-goggaki

The great narrative is an invitation for the discovery of a problem, as Jerome Bruner stated. Ifwe select gifted writers and poets and study their work as well as their narratives about loneli-ness during their childhood years (and not only then), we will uncover many faces of loneli-ness and solitude – perhaps the most painful and the most beneficial ones. We selected asmall number of writers from Greece and other countries, in the childhood of whom loneli-ness and solitude had played a significant part and seemed to have determined their lives andwork. By focusing on specific aspects of their lives and work, we discuss how lonelinessmeets with the gift of narrative from the early years of life.

(2014). Η σχέση της φιλοσοφίας και του αθλητισμού από την αρχαιότητα έως τον σύγχρονο κόσμο Ο αθλητικός αγώνας αναπτύχθηκε εντός της φυσικής, ιδεολογικής και κοινωνικής ατμόσφαιρας του αρχαίου ελληνικού πολιτισμού. Φιλοσοφικά, η ιδεολογία που καλλιεργείται στους πανελλήνιους αθλητικούς αγώνες αποτελεί την αντανάκλαση του βαθύτερου υπόβαθρου με το οποίο ταυτίζεται ο κλασικός πολιτισμός, δηλαδή της συνύπαρξης, και μάλιστα της ισορροπημένης συνύπαρξης, των αντιθέτων. Την περίοδο αυτή ήταν ισχυρή η οντολογική σχέση μεταξύ ψυχής και σώματος. Το κάλλος, το ωραίο, το ιδεώδες, ο άθλος, το κλέος, η ηθική του αγώνα και του αθλητή ως προτύπου, η αισθητική και η αξιολογία τους είναι έννοιες φιλοσοφικές, έννοιες που ανήκουν στη σφαίρα και στη δικαιοδοσία της φιλοσοφίας. Το ενδιαφέρον για τη σωματική υπόσταση του ανθρώπου, ως σημαντικού μέρους της διττής ανθρώπινης υπόστασης, δεν έπαψε ποτέ να απασχολεί τους διανοητές και τις κοινωνίες, μιας και ο αθλητισμός αντιμετωπίστηκε ως τμήμα της εκάστοτε κοινωνικής ζωής. Η στάση προς το φυσικό σώμα, είτε πρόκειται για στάση σεβασμού είτε για στάση απαξίωσης, έχει γνωρίσματα φιλοσοφικά και ιδεολογικά. Οι μεταβιομηχανικές ιδίως κοινωνίες, έως και τις μέρες μας, χαρακτηρίζονται από τον βιομηχανοποιημένο τρόπο ζωής και τον εκμηχανισμένο τρόπο παραγωγής, απόρροια ενός εκμηχανισμένου πολιτισμού. Επικρατεί ο οικονομικός υλισμός, και η απολυτοποίηση του κέρδους και οτιδήποτε υλιστικού, στο οποίο και εντάσσεται το φυσικό ανθρώπινο σώμα, το οποίο στην πραγματικότητα καθίσταται θύμα αυτής της ισοπεδωτικής και υπολανθάνουσας λογικής. ανθρώπου. Η ανθρωπολογική έννοια του αθλητισμού μπορεί να προσδιορίσει ένα όριο ασφαλείας, το οποίο θα προφυλάσσει το αθλητικό και γενικότερα το ανθρώπινο σώμα από την υπερέκθεση και την υπερκατανάλωση. Διαφαίνεται, επομένως, η ανάγκη της «φιλοσοφικής ανθρωπολογίας», της σύλληψης δηλαδή της ουσίας του ανθρώπου, αλλά και της πολιτικής φιλοσοφίας του σώματος.

Ο συγγραφέας αναλύει τα σημαντικά γεγονότα, σχετικά με τα έντονα φαινόμενα διαφθοράς, τα οποία συγκλονίζουν την ισλαμιστική κυβέρνηση Ερντογάν, και ουσιαστικά, αναδεικνύει μια έντονη και εξουθενωτική ενδοϊσλαμιστική διαμάχη μεταξύ του Ισλαμιστικού Μυστικιστικού Τάγματος του Ιμάμη, του δήθεν «ηπίου Ισλάμ» τού Φετουλάχ Γκιουλέν (και της οργάνωσής του, των «Φετουλαχή») και του Ερντογάν.

1.  ISSN 2241-0015.

Η δημοσίευση βασίζεται στην ομιλία του γράφοντος στο Α΄ Συνέδριο του μεταπτυχιακού προγράμματος «Σπουδές στην Ορθόδοξη Θεολογία» του ΕΑΠ που έγινε στην Πάτρα στις 2-3 Μαίου 2014 (βλ. http://www.cais.upatras.gr/node/5119)  και περιλαμβάνει σύντομη ιστορική αναδρομή για τη θεολογική συζήτηση στην Ελλάδα για τις μεταμοσχεύσεις, κυρίως για τα θέματα της «εικαζόμενης συναίνεσης» και του λεγόμενου εγκεφαλικού θανάτου.

The aim of this study was to examine student teachers’ knowledge and attitudes toward school bullying. Participants were 676 students at the Faculty of Primary Education, University of Athens, Greece. They replied to a question about the perceived seriousness of bullying (Nikolaides, Toda, & Smith, 2002), and completed the Teachers’ Attitudes About Bullying Questionnaire (Beran, 2005). Principal components analysis confirmed the five-component structure of the questionnaire. Results showed that a considerable percentage of prospective teachers regarded bullying as a serious matter and wanted to learn more about this issue during their studies. Also, they expressed high personal commitment and system commitment to dealing with bullying. Although they are not satisfied with their education on bullying, they exhibit at least moderate confidence in coping with it. Results are discussed in comparison with the few relevant studies conducted in other countries on this issue and in relation to the developmental characteristics of emerging adults.

Γεβανική (ή Εβραιοελληνική ή Ρωμανιώτικη) ονομάζεται η διάλεκτος των Ρωμανιωτών Eβραίων της Ελλάδας. Η διάλεκτος αυτή μιλιέται ήδη από τα ελληνιστικά χρόνια και παρουσιάζει μεγάλο επιστημονικό ενδιαφέρον, καθώς γεννήθηκε από τη διεπαφή κυρίως δυο μεσογειακών γλωσσών με μακρά ιστορία (της ελληνικής και της εβραϊκής), που ανήκουν σε διαφορετικές γλωσσικές οικογένειες, στην ινδοευρωπαϊκή και τη σημιτική, αντίστοιχα. Τόσο η Connerty (2003) όσο και το Ethnologue χαρακτηρίζουν τη γεβανική ως σχεδόν εξαφανισμένη διάλεκτο εξαιτίας της βίαιης συρρίκνωσης του αριθμού των ομιλητών της κατά το Ολοκαύτωμα (στην Ελλάδα, ένας μικρός αριθμός εντοπίζεται σήμερα στα Ιωάννινα και τη Χαλκίδα), της διασποράς των ομιλητών της κυρίως προς την Αμερική (Νέα Υόρκη) και το Ισραήλ και της όλο και μεγαλύτερης αφομοίωσής της από την ελληνική. Το ερώτημα που γεννάται είναι ποια είναι η συγχρονική μορφή της διαλέκτου αυτής σε αυτό το κρίσιμο σημείο της εξαφάνισής της εντός και εκτός των ελληνικών συνόρων. Η παρούσα μελέτη αποσκοπεί στην περιγραφή της σύγχρονης μορφής της γεβανικής διασώζοντας τα τελευταία σπαράγματά της. Μέσα από τη συλλογή προφορικών δεδομένων από ομιλητές της στα Γιάννενα και τη Νέα Υόρκη η εργασία αυτή έχει ως στόχο να καταγράψει τα τυπολογικά χαρακτηριστικά της γεβανικής σε όλα τα επίπεδα γραμματικής ανάλυσης (φωνολογία, μορφολογία, σύνταξη-σημασιολογία, λεξιλόγιο) και να προβλέψει το μέλλον της πριν εξαφανιστούν οι τελευταίοι εναπομείναντες ομιλητές της. The Yevanic dialect (also known as Judeo-Greek or Romaniotika) has been the language of the Romaniote Jews of Greece since the Hellenistic period. As a product of language contact between Greek and Hebrew (two languages belonging to different language families, Indo-european and Semitic, respectively) Yevanic shows a remarkable blend of grammatical and lexical features. However, recent studies and surveys (e.g. Connerty (2003) and the Ethnologue) characterize it as almost extinct, as the majority of its native speakers perished in the Holocaust. Yevanic is currently spoken by a small number of speakers in Yannena, Chalkida, New York and Israel. From a linguistic point of view, the interesting question that arises is what the current form and main grammatical characteristics of this linguistic variety are.The current study aims at documenting and analysing the current status of Yevanic at the main levels of linguistic analysis (phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and the lexicon). We also offer a tentative prediction of its future before the dissapearance of its last speakers.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relation between school bullying/ victimization and symptoms of anxiety disorders in preadolescents. Participants were 255 fifth- and sixth-grade students from primary schools of Attica region. They completed the Greek versions of the following measures: the Revised Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire (Olweus, 2006), the Social Anxiety Scale for Children- Revised (LaGreca & Stone, 1993), the Children’s Revised Impact of Event Scale (Smith, Perrin, Dyregrov, & Yule, 2003), and the Psychosomatic Symptom Score (Aro, Paronen, & Aro, 1987). Social anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and psychosomatic symptoms were all found to be positively correlated to both the tendency to be victimized and the tendency to bully others. The more the tendency to be victimized increased, the more students complained of psychosomatic symptoms and manifested clinically significant social anxiety and post-traumatic stress symptoms. The tendency to bully others could be predicted by psychosomatic symptoms and mothers’ country of birth. Furthermore, compared to non bullies-non victims, victims were found to score higher on all anxiety measures. Implications of the results for bullying prevention and intervention are discussed.

(2014). Το όραμα του υπερανθρώπου και το μετανθρώπινο μέλλον: Σχεδιάσματα, επιτεύγματα, ουτοπίες Η ιδέα του υπερανθρώπου εμφανίζεται πρώτη φορά στο στοχασμό του Friedrich Nietzsche (Der Übermensch), ο οποίος υποστηρίζει πως ο άνθρωπος με μια ηρωϊκή προσπάθεια θέλησης και φαντασίας θα μπορούσε να ξεφύγει από την αθλιότητα και να δημιουργήσει ένα ανώτατο ον, τον υπεράνθρωπο. Ο Νιτσεϊκός υπεράνθρωπος, ωστόσο, ουδεμία σχέση έχει με τον σύγχρονο υπεράνθρωπο, καθώς ο πρώτος είναι ο ιεροφάντης μιας νέας προστακτικής ηθικής (Pearson, 2007), ενώ ο δεύτερος ένα αφύσικο κατασκεύασμα της τεχνολογίας, ένας Superman. Ένας τέτοιος άνθρωπος, όμως, υπερβαίνει τα φυσικά ανθρώπινα όρια. Το όραμά του φαντάζει ως μια τεχνοουτοπική φαντασίωση. Μπορεί, άραγε να γίνει αληθινό; Σε μια μεταβιομηχανική εποχή, πάντως, η δόξα θα ανήκει, πλέον, στην επανάσταση της βιοεπιστήμης που σημειώθηκε στις αρχές του αιώνα (Lawton, 2006). Επιμήκυνση της μακροβιότητας, διατήρηση της νεότητας, ενώ αρκετοί άνθρωποι έχουν υποστεί βιολογικές παρεμβάσεις και «αναβαθμίσεις» που τους προσφέρουν υπεράνθρωπες νοητικές ικανότητες ή σωματικές επιδόσεις. Ραγδαίες είναι, επίσης, και οι εξελίξεις στις συσκευές που διασυνδέονται με τον εγκέφαλο, ενισχύοντας τις λειτουργίες του με υπερφυσικές δυνάμεις (Sandel, 2011), και για την πλήρη κατανόηση του ανθρώπινου γονιδιώματος (Lewontin, 2000, 2002). Οι υπάρχουσες τεχνολογίες, ωστόσο, δεν αναπτύχθηκαν ειδικά για να επιτρέψουν στους υγιείς ανθρώπους να ξεπερνούν τα όριά τους, αλλά για να θεραπεύσουν ασθένειες, επιτελώντας κοινωνικό έργο. Διαθέτουν, επομένως, αρχικά την ηθική αποδοχή, και στο τέλος καταλήγουν να χρησιμοποιούνται από όποιον επιθυμεί να αποκτήσει πλεονέκτημα έναντι των άλλων (Lawton, 2006, Γογγάκη, 2013). Οι παραπάνω εξελίξεις αντιμετωπίζονται με δύο αντιμαχόμενες τάσεις. Οι υπέρμαχοι ή μετανθρωπιστές, όπως ο βιοηθικολόγος James Hughes (2014), προβλέπουν τη δημιουργία μιας «συλλογικής νοημοσύνης» (The Hive Mind) που συνδυάζει τη νοημοσύνη του ανθρώπινου είδους σε έναν τεχνολογικό εγκέφαλο (Estulin, 2009, 2014). Γενικά το φιλοσοφικό ρεύμα που συνδέεται με τους όρους posthumanism, metahumanism ή transhumanism υποστηρίζει την εξέλιξη του ανθρώπου μέσα από την επίδραση της γενετικής, της τεχνολογίας και των εμφυτευμάτων. Σύμφωνα με τη θεωρία του μετανθρωπισμού, ο συνήθης άνθρωπος αποτελεί απλά ένα «στάδιο ανάπτυξης» της συνολικής ανθρώπινης οντότητας. Οι αντίμαχοι αυτών των τεχνολογιών παρομοιάζουν ένα τέτοιο ενδεχόμενο με τον Brave New World του Aldous Huxley (1931), ένα μέλλον δηλαδή όπου οι κάτοικοι μέσω τεχνολογικών αναβαθμίσεων ζουν ζωές επίπεδες και άδειες, μέσα στην απόλυτη ομοιομορφία. Ο βιοηθικολόγος George Annas επισημαίνει ότι οι κίνδυνοι από τη γενετική τροποποίηση είναι ακόμη μεγαλύτεροι, ώστε θα ήταν καλύτερα να τεθεί από τώρα ένα τέλος σε όλη αυτή τη διαδικασία, προτείνοντας μια παγκόσμια συμφωνία που θα καθιστά τη γενετική τροποποίηση έγκλημα κατά της ανθρωπότητας. Το γενετικό μέλλον του ανθρώπινου είδους και η ανθρώπινη αναβάθμιση μπορεί να υπόσχονται την ελευθερία, ενδέχεται όμως να προκαλέσουν πρωτόγνωρες δυσκολίες (Fukuyama, 2002, Kuhse-Singer, 1999, Machery, 2008); Το κυριότερο ερώτημα, όμως, είναι: ως πού, θέλει να φτάσει ο άνθρωπος; Μήπως, θέλοντας να τα κατακτήσει όλα, είναι καταδικασμένος, τελικά σε μια σκλαβιά επιθυμιών, που μοιάζει με πιθάρι χωρίς πάτο; Η συζήτηση σχετικά με τις δυνατότητες των μελλοντικών τεχνολογιών είναι σε εξέλιξη. Οι μετανθρωπιστές αφαιρούν, ωστόσο, το ευρύτερο πλαίσιο, τον πολιτισμό, την εμπειρία και τα σώματα από το όραμά τους. Χωρίς, όμως, ευρύτερο πλαίσιο, πολιτισμό, εμπειρία και σώματα, τι απομένει στη συνείδηση; Στην πραγματικότητα η επιθυμία να ‘μεταφέρεις’ ή να κάνεις ‘μεταφορά μυαλού’ υλοποιείται συνεχώς από παραγωγικά ανθρώπινα όντα. Ίσως είναι καλύτερο να προσπαθεί κανείς να είναι παραγωγικός σ’ αυτή τη ζωή, παρά να ονειρεύεται ότι θα είναι παραγωγικός στην επόμενη ζωή.