Publications by Year: 2026

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

This chapter offers an overview of diachronic accounts of aspectual change, focusing on their treatment of the relationship between Aktionsart and perfectivity, often referred to as (grammatical) aspect. Such studies, relatively rare, are important in several ways: from the point of view of the diachronic study of language they offer explanations of broader changes in the verbal systems of individual languages, and they enhance our understanding of the mechanisms of language change in general. From the point of view of the study of aspect, they can shed light on the nature of the two categories in question, on their common ground and the differences between them and on their relationship with the other time-related category, tense. The chapter will focus on Greek, one of the Indo-European languages that are widely thought of as being of particular interest for the reconstruction of the Proto-Indo-European verbal system, but it will touch upon the significance of the diachronic study of aspect for the theoretical analysis of aspect and tense. 

PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess pediatric nurses' knowledge and skills in pain management and examine the factors influencing their proficiency in this area. DESIGN AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out to assess the knowledge of pediatric nurses in Greece. Data were collected from six public pediatric hospitals using a convenience sampling method, yielding a sample of 154 nurses. The Demographic Information Questionnaire and the Knowledge and Attitudes Survey Regarding Pain (KASRP) were utilized. Statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) software. RESULTS: The study found that pediatric nurses had a mean score of 51.98% on the pain management knowledge questionnaire, highlighting significant gaps in understanding, particularly regarding opioid use and pain intensity indicators. Scenario-based decision-making revealed that only a small percentage of participants correctly identified the appropriate dosage for pediatric pain management. Key areas for improvement were identified, especially in the proper use of opioids and pain assessment scales. DISCUSSION: The findings of this study highlight the need for targeted educational interventions and training programs to enhance pediatric nurses' competencies in pain management. Improving nurses' knowledge and clinical decision-making could contribute to more effective pain relief and higher-quality care for pediatric patients.

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

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

The debate regarding the relationship of economics to psychology and related fields has intensified in the last couple of decades. This is mainly due to the rise of behavioural economics which—contrary to mainstream economics—openly claims to pay attention to psychological findings to enrich economic theory and to provide more realistic policy advice.1 One can broadly classify Nima Bassiri’s latest book in this framework. Still, there is an important difference: Bassiri’s work employs an almost reverse point of view in the sense that he studies the impact of economic ideas, concepts and tools on psychiatry. It focuses on the history of psychiatry in the nineteenth century, and more specifically on how psychiatrists felt compelled to diagnostically approach mental illness (madness) through an economic lens. In other words, it examines how psychiatry has used economic reasoning for diagnostic purposes.

This book examines the historical and methodological development of the consumption function in economics. It provides a discussion of the key stages in the theoretical evolution of the concept, from the beginning of the 20th century through to the modern day. Particular attention is given to the ways in which Thorstein Veblen, John Maynard Keynes, James Duesenberry, Franco Modigliani, Richard Brumberg, and Milton Friedman conceptualized consumption. Further, it examines the latest theoretical and methodological developments within the neoclassical, as well as the heterodox economics traditions. By connecting the history of consumption function to the methodological frameworks in which consumption theories were devised, the work also brings into the fore the important economic policy implications associated to various consumption formulations.  This book offers insight into how different schools of economic thought have defined consumption and how these ideas inform modern economic theories and political discussions. It will be of interest to students and researchers working on macroeconomic policy, economic theory, and the history of economic thought. 

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

• differences
• physics/biology
• didactics
• NOS

Members of the nucleobase ascorbate transporter (NAT) family (SLC23) are elevator-type transporters that are responsible for the uptake of nucleobases and ascorbate. In fungi, NAT members are also responsible for the specific uptake of antifungal nucleobase analogues, such as oxypurinol, allopurinol, or 8-azaguanine. Here, we report nearly full-length cryo-EM structures of UapA, a high-affinity purine transporter from the model fungus , in inward-facing apo- and substrate-loaded conformations at 2.06 to 3.5 Å in detergent and lipid nanodiscs. The high-resolution structures reveal the role of water molecules and lipids in substrate binding, specificity, transporter dimerization, and activity. Notably, the N-tail of UapA is found to be structured, interacting with both the core and scaffold domains, which in combination with functional data suggests a dual role in trafficking and transport dynamics. Overall, our study provides unprecedented structural and functional insights into an elevator-type fungal transporter, which may well contribute to the exploitation of NAT transporters as specific gateways for targeted pharmacological antifungal approaches.

The Red Beach in Santorini, Greece, is a dynamic landscape formed by the rapid erosion of unstable volcaniclastic cliffs. This study presents a comprehensive, decadal analysis of cliff instability activity using a Multi-Temporal Object-Based Image Analysis (MT-OBIA) framework. Driven by a systematic collection of Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) high-resolution imagery, we developed a time series of high-resolution Digital Surface Models (DSMs) and orthomosaics. Our OBIA workflow was specifically designed to segment and classify features unique to this environment, including scarps/sources, deposits, and cracks. The results quantify a mean annual cliff retreat rate of 0.45 m/year, with significant spatial and temporal variability, including a major collapse event in the winter of 2019 that resulted in over 1 meter of instantaneous retreat. The OBIA-derived inventory, comprising over 1,200 individual objects, reveals a strong seasonal pattern linked to intense storm surges and coastal erosion. This research establishes a robust and transferable methodology for high-frequency geohazard monitoring in coastal environments, providing critical data for the safety management of one of Greece's most visited tourist destinations.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Long-term outcome data in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) treated with high-genetic-barrier nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs) beyond year 10 are scarce. We assessed the incidence and predictors of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), liver transplantation (LT), all-cause and liver-related death, and HBsAg loss among patients treated with NAs for >10 years. METHODS: The long-term PAGE-B cohort included 1,644 Caucasian patients with CHB treated with entecavir or tenofovir. Cumulative incidence was estimated using Kaplan-Meier methods or cumulative incidence functions accounting for competing events. Incidence rates (IRs) per 100 person-years (/100 PYs) were calculated. RESULTS: Of 1,644 patients, 903 were followed beyond year 10 (mean:14 ± 2 years). The 10- and 15-year cumulative incidences of HCC were 10.9% and 13.2%, respectively. The HCC IR was 1.25 before year 10 and 0.55/100 PYs after year 10 (p <0.001), with similar findings after inverse probability weighting. The IR of death or LT was lower before vs. after year 10 (1.50 vs. 1.95/100 PYs, p = 0.069), whereas the IR was similar for liver-related death/LT between the two periods (0.74 vs. 0.70/100 PYs, p = 0.840). HCC development and baseline platelet count were independently associated with LT-free liver-related or overall survival, which was also associated with older age and diabetes. The 10- and 15-year cumulative incidences of HBsAg loss on NA(s) were 8.3% and 14.3%, respectively; the IR of HBsAg loss increased from 0.94 before year 10 to 1.42/100 PYs after year 10 (p = 0.025). HBsAg loss was independently associated with older age and baseline HBeAg positivity. NA therapy was discontinued in 125 (7.6%) patients who remained HBsAg positive. CONCLUSIONS: Despite >10 years of NA therapy, patients with CHB remain at risk of HCC, although the incidence rate declines significantly. HCC remains the main determinant of mortality. The rate of HBsAg loss increases after year 10 but remains low, occurring more frequently in older patients and those who were initially HBeAg positive. IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS: Despite more than 10 years of effective nucleos(t)ide analogue therapy, patients with chronic hepatitis B remain at risk of hepatocellular carcinoma, highlighting the need for continued long-term surveillance. Although the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma declined after year 10, it remained the main determinant of long-term outcomes. These findings reinforce the importance of sustained risk stratification, particularly among patients with lower baseline platelet counts or other risk factors. The gradual increase in hepatitis B surface antigen loss beyond 10 years provides further evidence that prolonged antiviral therapy may offer ongoing benefits, although functional cure remains uncommon and is more likely among older patients and those who were initially HBeAg-positive.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Rapid advancements in reperfusion strategies and optimized medical therapies have significantly improved survival among patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). However, a large population still lives with the chronic consequences of the disease, including impaired post-discharge health-related quality of life (HRQOL). This systematic review aimed to identify and summarize the existing evidence regarding the determinants of HRQOL among patients with ACS. METHODS: A comprehensive search following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines was performed in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Science Direct until 20 July 2025. The review protocol was registered with PROSPERO (ID CRD420251157478). RESULTS: From an initial 12,280 articles, 55 were selected. Forty-two studies used a cohort design and thirteen were cross-sectional. All studies were published between 2000 and 2025. Most of the studies were conducted in Europe and America. Common predictors of improved HRQOL were better baseline quality of life, previous exercise behavior, sense of coherence, coping strategies, revascularization during index hospitalization, time passed after ACS and diagnosis of STEMI. The most common factors that worsened HRQOL were female sex, lower educational and financial status, being unemployed, depression, anxiety, the presence of comorbidities and lower social support including having no partner. CONCLUSIONS: The findings highlight that post-ACS HRQOL is determined by multiple factors including demographic, clinical and psychological factors. Clinical practice should therefore focus on targeted strategies that optimize modifiable factors, prioritizing early psychological screening and individualized support for high-risk groups, to effectively improve HRQOL and overall quality of care.

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

This book provides a novel approach to a key topic in the history and philosophy of science, the role and status of prediction in the natural sciences. In contrast to most of the literature on the topic, this volume problematizes what constitutes a successful prediction. Even in fields where the value of prediction is not disputed, the role and status of prediction may change, and it is not always clear when a prediction is worth testing. Furthermore, this book examines how the gap between high-level theory and predictions of particular phenomena is bridged by using modelling and computer simulation, and concludes by discussing the dual role of scientific prediction: advancing both scientific knowledge as well as science policy. Written by top scholars in the field, this book is of great interest to historians, philosophers, and other students and scholars of science.

El presente estudio examina la influencia del tipo de contexto de aprendizaje formal en el léxico disponible de estudiantes de ELE. Se distinguen dos contextos de aprendizaje formales de LE, el convencional, centrado exclusivamente en la enseñanza de la LE, y el contexto de aprendizaje integrado de contenido (AICLE), que se refiere a cualquier contexto educativo en el que se usa la LE como medio de aprendizaje de contenidos no lingüísticos. Se ha mostrado que el tipo de contexto de aprendizaje formal influye en el aprendizaje de la LE de diferentes maneras y se han destacado los beneficios del enfoque AICLE para el desarrollo del vocabulario. Para explorar esta relación, se examinaron la productividad léxica y las redes semánticas formadas en el lexicón mental de aprendices de LE a través de la prueba de disponibilidad léxica. Se comparó el léxico disponible de dos grupos de estudiantes griegos de ELE de nivel B en el centro de interés “España”. El primer grupo, compuesto por 37 aprendices del ELE, estudia español en un contexto convencional, en el Instituto Nacional de Administración Pública. El segundo grupo, que sigue el enfoque AICLE, está formado por 40 estudiantes del Departamento de Lengua y Literatura Hispánicas de la Universidad Nacional y Kapodistríaca de Atenas. Sus respuestas se analizaron en términos de productividad léxica, variedad léxica y características de las redes semánticas. Los resultados indican mayor productividad y variedad léxica, así como redes semánticas más cohesionadas en el grupo AICLE, confirmando los beneficios de este enfoque.

Emotional Intelligence (EI) has been widely recognized as a key psychosocialcompetency shaping university students’ academic and psychological functioning.However, research has often examined its influence on academic performance andwell-being separately, relying on single mediators such as test anxiety or basicpsychological needs. The present study proposes an integrated structural model inwhich EI affects both happiness and academic performance through two parallelpathways. Using data from 205 university students, the analysis incorporated fivesequential components: (1) Emotional Intelligence, (2) Cognitive Test Anxiety, (3)autonomy, competence, and relatedness, (4) Happiness, and (5) AcademicPerformance (GPA). Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to examine howEI predicts both happiness and academic performance through complementaryemotional-cognitive and motivational-affective routes. Results showed that EInegatively predicted CTA and positively predicted autonomy, competence, andrelatedness. CTA was a significant negative predictor of GPA, whereas the threeneeds strongly predicted happiness. EI indirectly influenced academic performancethrough CTA and indirectly influenced happiness through the basic psychologicalneeds. These findings position EI as a dual-pathway resource that supportsacademic functioning through the reduction of cognitive test anxiety and enhancesstudents’ well-being through the satisfaction of autonomy, competence, andrelatedness. Implications for higher education include the importance of fosteringemotional skills, supporting basic psychological needs, and creating learningenvironments that minimize evaluative stress.

Résumé du volume Qu’est-ce que le féminisme ? Ce dictionnaire apporte une réponse large (la contestation de l’inégalité entre les sexes), plurielle (les mouvements de femmes, les philosophies ou idéologies qui les nourrissent) et contextualisée, sous la forme de près de 600 entrées. Biographiques, car le féminisme est fait de grandes figures, égéries conscientes ou non de la cause, et thématiques, car il est porteur d’une identité politique et culturelle qui a marqué la plupart des grands mouvements sociaux, politiques et philosophiques. Issu de recherches universitaires récentes, ce dictionnaire rend compte, avec méthode et pédagogie, de toute la richesse du mouvement féministe en France. Contre-mouvement qui suscite polarisations et crispations, le féminisme reste en réalité peu connu ; il est pourtant à l’œuvre dans l’une des plus profondes transformations sociétales des deux derniers siècles : le recul de la domination masculine, les progrès de l’égalité des sexes et des libertés, la mise en question de la différenciation hiérarchisée (le genre). Il fait aujourd’hui encore, par nécessité, partie de l’histoire en mouvement. C’est ce que nous démontrent les 200 collaborateurs de cet ouvrage, qui parcourt l’ensemble des thèmes liés à la cause des femmes, réaffirmant, parce qu’il le faut, qu’aucune question sociale ne se résoudra sans elle.

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

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

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

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

: High-quality pediatric emergency care requires timely access, effective communication, privacy, pain management, comfort, and child- and family-centered practices; however, implementation may be constrained by several barriers. The aim of the study was to evaluate the quality of pediatric emergency care as perceived by healthcare professionals, with emphasis on child-centered care and variations based on workplace and professional characteristics. : A cross-sectional survey was performed in the emergency departments in two tertiary public pediatric hospitals in Athens, Greece. A study-developed 14-item Quality of Care Assessment Scale with paired ratings of agreement with quality principles and implementation in practice was completed by 162 professionals (122 doctors, 24 nurses, 16 assistant nurses). Independent items evaluated perceived barriers, overall assessments (0-100), and information provided to parents/children (5-point Likert scale). Inferential tests and descriptive statistics were also used ( < 0.05). : There was a significant degree of agreement with quality principles, but there was a constant lack of implementation (principle-practice gap). The primary perceived weakness was waiting times; child-friendly settings and privacy during examinations and information-giving were also lacking. Internal consistency ranged from good to acceptable (implementation α = 0.800; agreement α = 0.711). Children were most frequently rated as "moderately informed" (48.1%), while parents were most frequently rated as "quite informed" (50.0%). Compared to the organization of care (mean 60.85), perceived safety was higher (mean 73.27). Perceptions varied by age, educational level, profession, department, shift rotations, and hospital. The main barriers were workload (30.2%), poor coordination (34.0%), and lack of resources (46.9%). : Health professionals seem to perceive that consistent delivery of child-centered care is impaired by organizational and structural limitations. Reducing the standards-to-practice gap requires targeted system-level interventions that focus on staffing, care organization, environment, and professional support.

The hydrogeological regime and the persistent moisture intrusion phenomena at the Holy Monastery of Kleiston are fundamentally dictated by a complex tectonic framework within the Sub-Pelagonian Unit of Mount Parnitha, NW of Athens, Greece. This study identifies the monastery’s location as a site of intense structural deformation, where the stratigraphic sequence is governed by a series of successive tectonic nappes. The structural architecture is defined by two primary thrust faults: an upper thrust (No 1) that positions carbonate rocks over volcanosedimentary formations, and a lower, sub-parallel thrust (No 2) that repositions the volcanosedimentary sequence atop an underlying lower carbonate series. Central to the water intrusion mechanism is the identification of two low-angle fault surfaces, designated as No 3 and No 4, which act as primary hydraulic discontinuities. Crucially, both of these tectonic surfaces are situated within the mass of the lower carbonate rocks and are oriented sub-parallel to the lower thrust, effectively mirroring its geometry. These intra-lithic discontinuities serve as the primary structural controls for groundwater movement, with the upper surface (No 3) coinciding with the main foundation level and the roof of the Catholicon, while the lower surface (No 4) dictates the base of the local epikarst hydrogeological system.The interaction between this tectonic fabric and the carbonate lithology has facilitated the development of an extensive epikarst zone, exceeding 10 meters in thickness, characterized by high secondary porosity. This zone is defined by two principal discontinuity systems -striking NNW-SSE and NE-SW- alongside secondary fractures that have undergone significant karstification. The mechanical widening of these joints is further enhanced by the deep penetration of root systems, which extend up to seven meters into the rock mass, creating vertical conduits. Hydrogeologically, the epikarst functions as a perched aquifer, recharged through a combination of direct autogenic precipitation and lateral allogenic contribution from upstream debris and weathered volcanosedimentary mantles.The manifestation of water and humidity within the monastery's functional spaces is the direct result of epikarst spring fronts emerging at the intersections of these specific tectonic surfaces with the building infrastructure. The upper fault surface (No 3) directs groundwater discharge into the Catholicon and the adjacent storage caverns, a process exacerbated by the thin carbonate cover which offers minimal lag time between precipitation events and intrusion. Simultaneously, the lower fault surface (No 4) facilitates discharge into minor caves and areas beneath the monastery’s retaining walls and communal spaces. This structural control explains the persistence of moisture even during arid periods, as the complex network of tectonic voids and karstified joints within the epikarst serves as a shallow reservoir. Consequently, the study concludes that the water intrusion at the Holy Monastery of Kleiston is a structurally driven phenomenon, where sub-parallel tectonic discontinuities within the lower carbonates serve as the primary conduits for the localized hydrogeodynamic discharge of the epikarst aquifer.

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

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

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to evaluate the effect of the implementation of electronic-prescribing protocols for infectious diseases on outpatient antimicrobial prescribing patterns in Greece. METHODS: In 2018-2019, in the context of policies to control antimicrobial use in Greece, electronic-prescribing protocols for acute pharyngitis, community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) and urinary tract infection (UTI) were introduced. We conducted a retrospective nationwide Interrupted Time Series analysis of monthly outpatient antimicrobial prescription counts overall and for targeted infectious syndromes during the preintervention and postintervention periods. Data were extracted from the official nationwide electronic prescription database covering July 2017 to December 2021. RESULTS: Overall reductions in median monthly antimicrobial prescription counts between the pre- and postintervention periods were 71.3% (95% CI: -78.5% to -56.4%) for pharyngitis, 90.0% (95% CI: -94.3% to -85.3%) for CAP, 92.6% (95% CI: -94.1% to -87.9%) for AECOPD, 85.8% (95% CI: -86.6% to -83.0%) for UTI. Despite these syndrome-specific reductions, the median monthly number of total outpatient antimicrobial prescriptions did not decrease (417 633 vs. 424 592 prescriptions per month). Before the intervention, the protocol-targeted syndromes collectively accounted for a median of 27.6% of total antimicrobial prescriptions per month, whereas 'other nonprotocol conditions' represented a median of 72.4%. After implementation, these proportions shifted dramatically to a median of 4.5% and 95.5% respectively (p < 0.001 for both changes), indicating a shift in diagnostic coding associated with antimicrobial prescribing. CONCLUSIONS: Although the protocols were designed to promote targeted antimicrobial use, their complex implementation may have inadvertently encouraged suboptimal prescribing practices. Improper coding and inconsistent antimicrobial prescribing data hinder antimicrobial stewardship efforts and should prompt a national health policy action plan.

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

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

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

Prologue: "The cruel ravages which have been committed by the Turks might well have inspired another Homer!"   The slave-markets of Scio (Chios), Constantinople and Smyrna were always full of Greek women and girls, some offered as gifts to Sultan Mahmut II for his harem, according to the accounts of Louise Demont and Princess Celine, who accompanied Princess Caroline, then future Queen of Great Britain during her travels in 1814 to 1820.

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

The Komolithoi badlands, located in the Kissamos providence of Chania, Crete (Greece), are dunes consisting of soft clay that form conic shapes and represent a visually striking and geomorphologically active landscape, shaped by intense erosional processes characteristic of Mediterranean semi-arid environments. Their study can offer insights into the processes and mechanisms of erosion since due to their unique rock properties, including their high clay content, low organic matter, and low infiltration capacity, they are exceptionally vulnerable to erosion. Capturing the complexity and evolution of such landforms requires high-resolution, georeferenced data and a flexible methodological framework adapted to this challenging terrain.In this study, we combine Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) data to generate ultra-detailed 3D models of the Komolithoi formations. Two full surveys were conducted in 2023 and 2024, enabling the construction of multitemporal point clouds. The integration of aerial and terrestrial methods enables dense, accurate surface coverage, overcoming limitations posed by occlusions, steep gradients, and fine-scale roughness. The resulting point clouds achieve high spatial resolution and geolocation precision, offering valuable insights into both surface morphology and potential erosion pathways. In addition to forming a baseline for future monitoring, the datasets allow for preliminary assessment of geomorphic dynamics and sediment redistribution.This contribution emphasizes the methodological potential of combining UAS and TLS technologies for badland research. It highlights how modern geomatics can advance the study of erosional landscapes where traditional surveying methods may fall short. Ultimately, this work contributes to the development of standardized, high-accuracy protocols for mapping and modeling badlands, aligning with broader efforts to monitor landscape change and aid land management in sensitive geomorphic environments.

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

This study examines teachers' beliefs and reported practices regarding vocabulary instruction for multilingual students within the Greek school system. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 42 primary and secondary school teachers and analyzed using thematic analysis. The study probed into teachers’ conceptualizations of vocabulary knowledge and acquisition, their reported instructional practices, and their perceived professional development needs. Thematic analysis indicated that teachers tended to view vocabulary knowledge mainly as knowledge of meaning and occasionally use and approached instruction in a reactive rather than systematic way. Accordingly, reported practices emphasized translation, visual scaffolds, and textbook-driven choices, with limited focus on word recycling, learner strategy training and learner autonomy. Teachers also identified systemic constraints such as limited time and large classes. These findings highlight the need for sustained professional development that connects language and content pedagogy, promotes effective, participatory instructional approaches, and supports inclusive, multilingual approaches to teaching.

El presente libro reúne una serie de trabajos relacionados con la adquisición del léxico en la clase de español como lengua extranjera. El objetivo es, por un lado, contribuir al debate científico sobre la enseñanza y adquisición del léxico en este ámbito y, por otro, proporcionar recursos teóricos y prácticos para mejorar la enseñanza del vocabulario en español como lengua extranjera. El volumen recoge trece trabajos de especialistas en el ámbito de la lingüística aplicada que desarrollan su labor académica en universidades de diferentes países (Grecia, España, Reino Unido, Italia, Portugal, Hungría, República Checa, Emiratos Árabes Unidos y Japón), lo que ofrece una valiosa perspectiva internacional y enriquecedora sobre la temática abordada, favoreciendo así un diálogo científico más amplio y plural.

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

The present study investigates the alterations of the coastal area of the Acheloos’ deltaic complex (E. Greece) for the last 20 ka and the shoreline response to the anticipated sea level rise, according to various sea-level rise prediction scenarios. The distant and near past were reconstructed through the interpretation of seismic data, sediment cores and historical aerial imagery, while the future state was evaluated considering the IPCC sea-level rise projections, adapted to the specific geomorphological and sedimentological characteristics of the study area. The results indicate a significant alteration of the area throughout the Holocene, primarily driven by the constant sea level fluctuation, while for the recent past, severe erosion has been observed in the entire study area, in places reaching 250 m (~3.4 m/yr) for the past 75 years. The IPCC predictions for 2100 suggest a continuous reduction of the delta, by 10% to 20% of the present area, while considering the most extreme climatic scenario, the percentage of the lost area could reach up to 60% of the total deltaic plain. Regardless of the prevailing scenario, it was estimated that for each 0.1 m of sea-level rise, the average land loss at the deltaic area is approximately 2.8 km2.

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

Professor Irene Kamberidou represented the Department of Sociology of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens—with a presentation that spotlighted women’s agency and self-expression—at the 58th ARAM Society for Syro-Mesopotamian Studies international conference organized by the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies of the University of Oxford, UK on July 6-8, 2026. The conference theme “Orientalism and the Levant during the Second Half of the Second Millennium (1500-2000) and Western Educational Missions in the Levant, 1300-1945” attracted globally renowned participants to Oxford. http://www.aramsociety.org/--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Η καθηγήτρια Ειρήνη Καμπερίδου εκπροσώπησε το Τμήμα Κοινωνιολογίας του Εθνικού και Καποδιστριακού Πανεπιστημίου Αθηνών—με μια παρουσίαση που ανέδειξε τη γυναικεία εμπειρία και δράση στη διαχείριση και επίλυση επειγόντων και συγκρουσιακών καταστάσεων —στο 58ο διεθνές συνέδριο της "ARAM Society for Syro-Mesopotamian Studies" που διοργάνωσε η Σχολή Ασιατικών και Μεσανατολικών Σπουδών του Πανεπιστημίου της Οξφόρδης, Ηνωμένο Βασίλειο, στις 6-8 Ιουλίου 2026.  Σύμφωνα με την εισήγηση της κας Καμπερίδου, οι γυναίκες έπαιρναν πρωτοβουλίες και καινοτομούσαν: είχαν καθοριστικό ρόλο στην φροντίδα περίθαλψη των προσφύγων, στην κοινωνική μέριμνα και στη δημόσια υγεία. https://hub.uoa.gr/en/womens-agency-in-the-levant-in-the-nineteenth-and-early-twentieth-centuries/    

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

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

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

High consumption of colorful fruits and vegetables correlates with low dementia risk, but the exact molecules and the underlying biological mechanisms governing their bioactive profiles are largely unknown. Using a 10-year observational cohort study coupled with an AI-driven systems pharmacology platform, we identified a natural triterpenoid compound found in colorful fruits and vegetables, α-Amyrin (αA), as a therapeutic candidate for Alzheimer's disease (AD). The efficacy of αA in treating the symptoms of AD, such as Tau tangles, damaged mitochondria, and memory loss, was examined using cross-species models; αA retained memory in AD-like animal models while also strongly inhibiting Tau pathology, especially p-Tau217, in a cellular 'Tau seeding' system and in Tau[P301S] mice, followed by validation using a human 3D microfluidic system. At molecular level, αA is a robust mitochondrial regulator, enhancing mitochondrial stress resilience and activation of mitophagy. Mechanistically, αA inhibits dual leucine zipper kinase (DLK), leading to the inhibition of DLK-Sterile Alpha and TIR Motif Containing 1 (SARM1)-dependent neurodegeneration; this inhibition frees unc-51 Like Autophagy Activating Kinase 1 (ULK1) from the ULK1-SARM1 complex, allowing it to participate in autophagy/mitophagy. αA also shows strong translational potential with a 10.1 h half-life and the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier. Our results indicate that αA may act as a mitochondrial guardian against AD via modulating the DLK-SARM1-ULK1-autophagy/mitophagy axis while further preclinical and clinical studies are warranted.

Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), pose significant socioeconomic and personal burdens due to progressive cognitive and motor decline. AD is characterized by the accumulation of amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques and tau tangles, alongside with emerging evidence linking metabolic dysfunction to its early disease pathogenesis. Impaired mitochondrial selective autophagy (known as mitophagy) and excessive mitochondrial dysfunction have been implicated as key contributors to disease progression. To uncover the mechanistic underpinnings of AD, Caenorhabditis elegans offers a powerful model system providing a fully mapped nervous system, transparency for live imaging, and evolutionary conserved pathways mirroring human pathophysiology. Here, we employ a pan-neuronal Aβ(1-42) -expressing C. elegans strain to phenocopy early metabolic disturbances characteristic of AD. Our methodology integrates automated motility tracking with confocal microscopy, utilizing the mitochondria-targeted Rosella biosensor to assess mitophagy dynamics in vivo. This platform enables quantitative assessment of locomotion deficits and spatiotemporal monitoring of mitophagy alterations driven by Aβ(1-42)-induced toxicity. Our method provides a robust tool for screening genetic and pharmacological interventions aimed at mitigating AD-associated mitochondrial dysfunction and neurodegeneration.

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

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

Ideas concerning the role, function, and nature of labor unions and their leadership can be found in 19th century economics literature. Even since this early period, a division between orthodox and non-orthodox approaches toward the study of labor unions can be discerned.  The orthodox framework was formed in the late 19th century with the gradual establishment of Marginalism, and it consolidated itself with the dominance of early neoclassical economics. Orthodox economic theory did not devote much attention to the economic analysis of unions. On the contrary and during the same period, non-orthodox economists such as Sidney and Beatrice Webb and early institutionalists (e.g. Richard Ely), had paid considerable attention to the study of unions, perceiving them as politico-economic organizations and emphasizing their wider role as social institutions (McNulty, 1980). The legacy of those two approaches continued in the 20th century and contemporary analyses of labor unions. The orthodox approach (originating mainly from the work of John Dunlop), generally conceives unions as purely economic units, analogous to firms, which can be studied by applying the standard tools of microeconomic theory. In this framework, the notion of union leadership plays a minimum role. In contrast, the non-orthodox viewpoint (originating mainly from Arthur Ross’ works), embraces a holistic, institutional-political-based attitude to labor unionism (Kaufman, 2002).

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with the aggregation of β-amyloid (Aβ) peptides and oxidative stress, two interconnected processes that contribute to neuronal dysfunction and cognitive decline. Natural polyphenols such as oleuropein and its metabolite hydroxytyrosol display antioxidant and anti-amyloidogenic properties, but oleuropein suffers from limited stability due to glycosidic hydrolysis. To develop more robust and potent oleuropein analogs, we synthesized a series of hydroxytyrosol-based esters in which the secoiridoid glucoside scaffold of oleuropein was replaced by lipophilic substituents designed to enhance molecular stability and interactions with Aβ peptide. The compounds were evaluated for their ability to interact with Aβ40 using ESI-MS, circular dichroism (CD), and thioflavin-T fluorescence (ThT), along with complementary antioxidant assays. Most of the compounds formed stable non-covalent complexes with Aβ40, inhibited early aggregation events, and prevented the peptide's conformational transition from random coil to β-sheet. To assess biological efficacy and safety in vivo, the most promising analog (3b) was evaluated in Caenorhabditis elegans models of amyloid-β toxicity. Treatment with 3b exhibited no detectable toxicity in wild-type animals, as evidenced by normal development, growth, and reproductive efficacy. Importantly, 3b rescued lifespan shortening and locomotor deficits in transgenic nematodes expressing human Aβ42 pan-neuronally, while having no effect on control strains lacking Aβ42 expression. These findings demonstrate that 3b confers functional protection against amyloid-induced toxicity in vivo. Overall, our results identify the newly synthesized hydroxytyrosol-derived esters as promising multifunctional scaffolds that combine potent anti-aggregation activity with strong antioxidant properties and in vivo neuroprotective efficacy, supporting their further development as anti-amyloidogenic agents for AD therapy.

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

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

Please cite as:Kamberidou, Irene (2026). Parental Time Allocation in Greece and the "Flexibility Stigma." Presentation at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) Athens lecture Series. Hosted by the LSE Centre for Research on Contemporary Greece and Cyprus in collaboration with the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), 27 Feb. 2026. Available on the NKUA YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/live/K_6GAKedGzM** Also available in Pergamos: https://pergamos.lib.uoa.gr/uoa/dl/object/5359133/file.pdf

BACKGROUND: Health systems increasingly recognise palliative care as an essential component of universal health coverage. Assessing palliative care quality and value remains challenging, as key outcomes are often missed by routine indicators. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) can address this gap, but their use remains fragmented. OBJECTIVE: To synthesise evidence on patient-reported outcomes in palliative care, the PROMs used to measure them, and implementation barriers and facilitators. METHODS: Five databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library were searched between 1989 and December 2025, following PRISMA guidelines. Studies focusing on PROM use in palliative care were included. Data were analysed to map outcome domains, commonly used instruments, and implementation barriers and facilitators. Study quality was assessed using Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklists. RESULTS: Seventy studies were included. Most were conducted in high- and middle-income countries and focused on patients with cancer. Physical, psychological, social, spiritual and quality-of-life outcomes were most frequently assessed. The most commonly used PROMs were the Integrated Palliative Care Outcome Scale (IPOS), Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS), and the EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL instrument. Implementation challenges included patient frailty, workload and time constraints, limited standardisation, and poor integration into clinical workflows and health information systems. Heterogeneity across populations, settings, and PROMs limited comparability. CONCLUSIONS: The findings provide practical guidance for health systems seeking to integrate PROMs into palliative care and support patient-centred quality monitoring and service evaluation. Greater standardisation, digital integration, and policy support are needed to strengthen service development, quality improvement, and health system accountability.

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

Geomorphological transformations represent one of the most significant outcomes of high-magnitude flood events, as intense hydraulic forces have the capacity to rapidly reshape river channels, redistribute sediments, and modify the connectivity and functionality of adjacent floodplains. Understanding these processes is crucial for both hazard assessment and sustainable river management. In this context, the present study employs a multi-temporal approach using Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) combined with Structure-from-Motion (SfM) photogrammetry to detect, visualize and quantify geomorphological changes induced by flooding along selected sections of the Lilas River, located on Evia Island in Central Greece. These particular river reaches were strongly affected by the extreme flash flood that occurred in August 2020, an event that caused significant geomorphic disruption.High-resolution aerial surveys were carried out both before the flood event, and shortly thereafter, in June 2018 and in September 2020 respectively. These surveys enabled the generation of highly detailed Digital Surface Models (DSMs) and orthomosaics, with a ground sampling resolution of approximately 2.5 cm. By performing differential analyses of the DSMs, the study was able to capture detailed patterns of erosion and deposition along the river corridor. The results indicate a pronounced spatial variability, with areas of intense erosion exhibiting local vertical lowering exceeding 7 meters, while zones of sediment accumulation showed depositional aggradation of up to approximately 5 meters after corrections for vegetation cover. Such extreme geomorphic changes highlight the uneven distribution of flood-induced forces along the river channel.One of the most striking findings of the study is the substantial channel widening that occurred in response to the flood. At specific locations, cross-sectional widths expanded by factors ranging from three to nine, primarily as a result of lateral bank erosion. These findings underscore the complex interactions between natural geomorphic processes, extreme hydrological forcing, and anthropogenic landscape modifications, demonstrating that flood impacts cannot be understood without considering the coupled effects of these factors.Overall, the study illustrates the capability of repeatable UAS–SfM workflows to provide high-resolution, quantitative evidence of flood-driven geomorphic change. Such data are invaluable for supporting post-event assessments, informing river restoration planning, and guiding the design of infrastructure adaptation strategies. Moreover, the results contribute to broader efforts in flood risk management, particularly in Mediterranean catchments that are highly susceptible to extreme weather events. By integrating detailed topographic measurements with hydrological and ecological considerations, the methodology presented here represents a powerful tool for anticipating and mitigating the consequences of future floods.

Photonic time crystals (PTCs) are characterized by the rapid modulation of the material properties in time, causing a momentum bandgap for light. However, the observation of these bandgaps at optical frequencies remains elusive as the necessary temporal modulation amplitudes to show notable momentum bandgaps are relatively high, inaccessible with available materials. While it has been known that structuring PTCs at the subwavelength scale can improve the bandgap size, we push this concept to the extreme by leveraging the nanophotonic toolbox. Specifically, we demonstrate that structures composed of scatterers supporting quasi-bound states in the continuum can substantially reduce the required modulation amplitudes by enhancing the interaction time between light and time-varying matter. This allows us to observe noticeable momentum bandgaps despite the weak temporal modulation. Our approach bridges the concepts of bound states in the continuum and time-varying metamaterials, paving the way toward realizable PTCs at optical frequencies.

Mitochondria-associated membranes (MAMs) are specialized contact sites between the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria, with multiple functional aspects. Here, we present a confocal microscopy-based protocol for quantifying the area of MAM-like domains in intestinal cells of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans using organelle-specific fluorescent reporters. We describe steps for worm synchronization, microscope setup, sample preparation, and image acquisition. We then detail procedures for manual single-image analysis and scalable automated batch processing, enabling robust quantification of ER-mitochondria contacts across experimental conditions. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Roussos et al.(1).

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

Background Loneliness during adolescence has increased worldwide in recent years and has been consistently associated with a broad range of adverse psychosocial outcomes. The availability of valid and reliable measures is essential for the early identification of loneliness and for the rigorous evaluation of intervention effectiveness. Nevertheless, multidimensional, psychometrically validated instruments for assessing loneliness in Greek adolescents remain limited. Objective The aim of the present study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Greek version of the Relational Provisions Loneliness Questionnaire (RPLQ; Hayden-Thomson, 1989), which assesses social and emotional dimensions of loneliness (i.e., integration and intimacy) within family and peer relationships. Methods The sample consisted of 503 students aged 13–14 years, recruited from secondary schools through stratified random sampling. The factor structure was tested via Confirmatory Factor Analysis, while internal consistency, validity evidence, and measurement invariance across gender were examined. Results The four-factor model demonstrated the best fit (CFI = .997, TLI = .997, RMSEA = .032, SRMR = .050) and yielded high standardized factor loadings (λ = .63–.93). Internal consistency was high across all dimensions (ω = .87–.92), and convergent, discriminant, and concurrent validity were supported. Measurement invariance across gender was supported at the configural, metric, and scalar (threshold) levels. Conclusions The Greek version of the RPLQ is a valid and reliable instrument for the multidimensional assessment of adolescent loneliness, supporting its use in research and prevention efforts.

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

Ageing and neurodegeneration are characterized by the progressive breakdown of organellar communication between mitochondria, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and lysosomes. Recent findings underline mitophagy as a central modulator of this interconnected network. Impaired mitophagy induces ER fragmentation, lysosomal dysfunction, imbalanced mitochondrial dynamics, and deregulation of calcium homeostasis, suggesting that mitochondrial turnover is essential for the maintenance of global organellar architecture. Conversely, restoring mitophagy re-establishes structural integrity and functional coordination across subcellular compartments. Notably, Urolithin A (UA) rejuvenates inter-organelle crosstalk through a defined calcium-dependent mechanism. UA promotes ER-derived calcium release via ITR-1/ITPR/InsP3R, EMC-3/EMC3, and TMCO-1/TMCO1, and enhances calcium uptake into mitochondria through MCU-1/MCU. This calcium flux activates DRP-1/DRP1-mediated mitochondrial fission, facilitating mi-tophagy initiation. In parallel, calcium-dependent activation of the UNC-43/CaMKII-SKN-1/Nrf2 axis stimulates mitochondrial biogenesis and metabolic adaptation. Furthermore, UA increases ER-mitochondrial contact sites (MAMs) and restores lysosomal activity, thereby re-establishing functional inter-organellar communication in nematodes and mammalian cells. These findings establish mitophagy as a central node of cellular and tissue homeostasis, acting through the stabilization of the organellar communication network to promote healthspan and lifespan while highlighting the need for future studies to validate these mechanisms across human tissues and disease-relevant cellular contexts.

2099 Direct citations since 2003 (updated June 30,  2026). Also used as "Start-up Research Tool and Reading List" for students and researchers globally: recommended sources, material and research, containing over two thousand academic / scientific papers, articles and studies.

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

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

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

A regional soil geochemical survey was carried out on the island of Lesvos, NE Aegean Sea, Greece, using an average density of 1 sample/25 km2 with the aim to investigate the geochemical variability of major and trace elements. The island encompasses a variety of rock and mineralisation types, including the Lesvos petrified forest, a well-documented geosite of international scientific importance, providing an opportunity to study how variations in lithology and hydrothermal mineralisation impact on elemental soil geochemistry. In total, 66 soil samples (0-20 cm depth) were collected across the entire island and the <2 mm fraction analysed for a variety of elements following a hot aqua regia digestion. In addition, 28 rock samples were also collected and analysed to assist in the interpretation of the soil geochemical patterns. The soil geochemical data were processed by multivariate statistical methods (factor and hierarchical cluster analysis) and Geographic Information System methods. The procedures used enabled the identification of several soil geochemical patterns that correlate with known rock types and mineralisation occurring on the island. Specific major and trace elements (Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Fe, K, Na, Mg, Mn, Ni, Sr, Zn) exhibit pronounced concentration changes across the major lithological units, with median concentrations displaying orders of magnitude differences between the soil developed over different lithologies. A suite of trace elements (As, Cu, Mo, Pb, Sb) in soil fingerprint the hydrothermal mineralisation, exhibiting geochemical anomalies around known epithermal and porphyry-style deposits. No major diffuse anthropogenic contamination by potentially toxic elements appears to have affected the soil at the sampling density of 1 sample/25 km2. It is concluded that the applied soil sampling density has effectively mapped the regional patterns of the geochemical landscape of Lesvos island, with broader implications for geochemical mapping in similar regions characterized by lithological diversity.

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

In this study, we analyze the reneging behavior of customers in a Markovian M/M/1 queue with an alternating service process, representing a normal operation mode and a working repair mode with reduced service speed. The customers are strategic and, as they continuously observe the system’s state, they decide whether to stay or to renege. For this model, we derive equilibrium customer reneging strategies and the corresponding performance measures of the system, considering both the baseline model with discrete units of customers and its fluid counterpart. To capture the effect of reneging, we compare their performance with similar systems, operating under a no-reneging policy. Both theoretical findings, as well as numerical experiments, reveal that allowing reneging significantly affects system performance. Finally, to assess the quality of the fluid approximation we conduct a numerical comparison between the fluid and the baseline version of the model.

ABSTRACT Background: School professionals’ knowledge and skills regarding self-harming and drug and alcohol use in adolesence in Greece is limited and not thorougly studied. The present study aims to explore the perspectives of educators and school psychologists regarding self-harming and drug and alcohol use in adolescence in Greece their views of their roles, the role of schools and appropriate responses. Methods: Semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis were carried out to explore the perspectives of 12 women, all secondary school professionals, six secondary school teachers and six psychologists, regarding self-harming behaviors in adolescence. Results: The first research question focused on the understanding of self-harm and revealed that participants perceive self-harm mainly as self-cutting and bodily harm, failing to identify drug and alcohol misuse as interrelated risk factors. Regarding the second research question, regarding secondary school teachers and psychologists’ perspectives of their professional role and boundaries, it emerged that these are interconnected and that schools are failing in managing adolescents’ self-harming behaviors. The third research question concerned the range of appropriate responses as perceived by study participants. Conclusions: Secondary school teachers and psychologists in Greece, participating in the current study, agreed that further training, careful assessment and collaboration between schools, families and experts is required.

Mitochondrial damage is a shared hallmark of brain aging and neurodegeneration. While pathological Tau mutations disrupt mitochondrial dynamics and function, the physiological role of wild-type (WT) Tau in the maintenance of mitochondrial homeostasis remains poorly understood. Here, using Caenorhabditis elegans and mice lacking PTL-1, the nematode Tau-like homolog, and Tau respectively, we demonstrate that Tau deficiency promotes a shift toward a pro-fusion mitochondrial state associated with enhanced mitochondrial function and stress resistance. In both models, loss of Tau leads to increased mitochondrial activity and altered redox homeostasis, while it enhances resistance to heat and mitochondrial stress in C. elegans. Strikingly, loss of FZO-1, the mitofusin homolog, abolishes the beneficial phenotypes, whereas its overexpression phenocopies key aspects of Tau/PTL-1 deficiency. Together, our findings uncover a conserved role for WT Tau in restraining mitochondrial fusion and functional adaptation, highlighting its contribution to mitochondrial homeostasis and cellular stress responses.

This study investigates and interprets the distinctive textures of agates in the latest Triassic North Mountain Basalt. Ten representative samples were investigated in terms of petrography, mineralogy and mineral chemistry. Agate veins typically show three zones, elsewhere interpreted as forming in situ from an initial impure amorphous silica sol by self-organisation processes. (1) An outer zone of microgranular quartz and irregular goethite flames; (2) banded chalcedony; and (3) a central zone of macrocrystalline quartz. Horizontal veins show asymmetric development of these zones and vertical veins show deformation of flames. Some agates are brecciated with clasts cemented by zeolite and agate. The North Mountain Basalt comprises >150 m thick lower and upper ponded flow units and a middle unit of multiple thinner flows. The base of the lava pile is saucer shaped. Hydrothermal circulation driven by heat from the lower flow unit dissolved halite from the underlying Blomidon Formation. The saline waters were hot enough (>300 °C) to dissolve silica and iron, in part from the cooling lava flows. The resulting silica sol migrated up dip to the southern margin of the basalt, where actively deforming faults along the Minas Fault Zone provided pathways and accommodation. Heat from the thick upper flow unit re-activated hydrothermal flow through the Blomidon Formation and mixed with zeolite-rich fluids, producing agate with an outer rim of zeolite, in some cases reactivating or fragmenting earlier agate veins. The particular setting of these agate veins demonstrates linkage between observed textures and interpreted details of hydrothermal circulation.

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

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

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

The Amynteo mega-landslide in northern Greece represents one of the most significant mass-wasting events in southeastern Europe in recent decades, with substantial geomorphological, geotechnical, and socio-economic impacts, causing the relocation of an entire village (Anargiri). Understanding such large-scale slope failure requires a multi-scale and multitemporal approach that captures both the surface dynamics and underlying controlling processes. This study investigates pre- and post-failure surface motion associated with the event by integrating Earth Observation (EO) data and Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) surveys. Surface motion gradients extending from the mine toward the nearby village of Anargyri were assessed using multi-temporal SAR interferometry (MT-InSAR) and offset tracking techniques, together with high-resolution UAS-derived Digital Surface Models (DSMs) and orthophotos. We examined the limits of each technique in measuring surface motion and exploited their complementarities across multiple spatial and temporal scales. Multi-sensor SAR datasets, including Copernicus Sentinel-1 and TerraSAR-X, were processed using MT-InSAR, supported by Copernicus EGMS products and the SNAPPING online service. Offset tracking contributed insights in areas with high displacement gradients where phase decorrelation limited interferometric methods. Repeated UAS campaigns further enhanced spatial interpretation and deformation quantification. Our analysis indicated persistent ground deformation in the pre-failure phase, spatial variability in displacement rates, and post-failure reactivation zones. The integration of InSAR and UAS photogrammetry links geomorphic process domains, such as headscarp retreat, lateral spreading, and toe bulging, with slope kinematics. We also investigate how hydrological forcing, mining-related disturbances, and lithological controls contribute to the triggering of the landslide. The study highlights the spatial and temporal dynamics of the Amynteo landslide and demonstrates the value of integrating diverse EO and UAS techniques for advancing landslide geomorphology and hazard assessment in complex slope systems. This multi-scale, multitemporal monitoring approach enhances the early detection of instability and supports the development of early warning strategies in mining environments.

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

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

Περίληψη Η παρούσα μελέτη διερευνά την επίδραση της χρήσης του εργαλείου τεχνητής νοημοσύνης ChatGPT στην κατανόηση των βασικών εννοιών του κεφαλαίου "Εξέλιξη" στη Γ' Γυμνασίου. Η έρευνα πραγματοποιήθηκε σε τρία τμήματα (72 μαθητές), εκ των οποίων τα δύο αποτέλεσαν την πειραματική ομάδα και το ένα την ομάδα ελέγχου. Η παρέμβαση περιλάμβανε καθοδηγούμενη διερεύνηση με ερωτήσεις προς το ChatGPT και σύνθεση εργασίας. Τα αποτελέσματα έδειξαν στατιστικά σημαντική βελτίωση στην τελική επίδοση των μαθητών της πειραματικής ομάδας σε σχέση με την ομάδα ελέγχου. Λέξεις-κλειδιά: Εξέλιξη, ChatGPT, τεχνητή νοημοσύνη, Εκπαίδευση 4.0 

«Αλίμονο! Κακότυχη χώρα! Πέντε χρόνια αργότερα, ήταν η μοίρα σου να πέσεις κάτω από το βάρβαρο χαντζάρι (γιαταγάνι) του Τούρκου, ενώ οι Ευρωπαϊκές Δυνάμεις παρακολουθούσαν ασυγκίνητες. Παγερά θυσιάστηκες στο θέμα της πολιτικής ισορροπίας […] Από την γη αυτή, που ποτίσθηκε με το αίμα των παιδιών της, η Χίος προμηθεύει λιβάνια για τους ναούς των κατακτητών της, οι οποίοι, μέσα στην άγρια οργή τους, αφάνισαν τα θύματά τους χωρίς σεβασμό, όσον αφορά στο φύλο και την ηλικία», γράφει η Πριγκίπισσα Celine, η υιοθετημένη κόρη της Βασίλισσας Καρολίνας, όταν επέστρεψε στη Χίο το 1823 και συγκλονίστηκε από τις επιπτώσεις της Μεγάλης Σφαγής (μτφρ. Ειρ. Καμπερίδου).

Η παρούσα μελέτη παρουσιάζει τα αποτελέσματα του πρώτου έτους υλοποίησης μιας καινοτόμου διαχρονικής εκπαιδευτικής παρέμβασης που εισάγει την Αρχαία Ελληνική γλώσσα στην Δ’ Δημοτικού μέσω βιωματικής και επικοινωνιακής διδασκαλίας. Στόχος είναι να διερευνηθεί κατά πόσον η συστηματική επαφή με την Αρχαία Ελληνική, μέσα από πολυτροπικές δραστηριότητες (αφήγηση, δραματοποίηση, παιχνίδι ρόλων, ζωγραφική, χρήση εικόνων), (α) οδηγεί σε εκμάθηση βασικών στοιχείων της Αρχαίας Ελληνικής, (β) ενισχύει τις γλωσσικές δεξιότητες των μαθητών στη Νέα Ελληνική (κατανόηση, ορθογραφία, παραγωγή γραπτού λόγου), (γ) βελτιώνει τις επιτελικές λειτουργίες (γνωστική ευελιξία, μνήμη εργασίας, γνωστική αναστολή), και (δ) προάγει τη μαθησιακή εμπειρία. Στην ανάλυση περιλαμβάνεται υποδείγμα της συνολικής μελέτης (n = 214), το οποίο αποτελείται από μαθητές και μαθήτριες Δ΄ Δημοτικού από οκτώ σχολεία (Αττική & Θεσσαλονίκη), κατανεμημένους σε πειραματική ομάδα παρέμβασης και ομάδα σύγκρισης μετά από διαδικασία τυχαιοποίησης. Oι μαθητές αξιολογήθηκαν στην αρχή (πριν την έναρξη της παρέμβασης) και το τέλος του σχολικού έτους. Οι μαθητές της πειραματικής ομάδας (n = 100) συμμετείχαν επιπλέον σε μια δοκιμασία  αρχαιομάθειας στο τέλος του σχολικού έτους. Τα αποτελέσματα της δοκιμασίας αρχαιομάθειας δείχνουν ότι οι μαθητές της πειραματικής ομάδας είχαν επίδοση στατιστικά σημαντικά υψηλότερη από τη βάση επιτυχίας. Παράλληλα, τα πρώτα ευρήματα δείχνουν οριακή υπεροχή της πειραματικής ομάδας στην κατανόηση κειμένου στη Νέα Ελληνική, ενώ στην παραγωγή γραπτού λόγου, την ορθογραφία και τους περισσότερους δείκτες επιτελικών λειτουργιών καταγράφονται αναμενόμενες διαχρονικές βελτιώσεις και στις δύο ομάδες, χωρίς διαφοροποίηση της αναπτυξιακής τους πορείας. Τα ποιοτικά δεδομένα αναδεικνύουν υψηλή εμπλοκή και θετική μαθησιακή εμπειρία των μαθητών της πειραματικής ομάδας. Τα ευρήματα υποστηρίζουν την παιδαγωγική και γνωστική αξία της βιωματικής διδασκαλίας της Αρχαίας Ελληνικής στην πρωτοβάθμια εκπαίδευση και θέτουν τις βάσεις για τη συνέχιση της διαχρονικής μελέτης, με μεγαλύτερο δείγμα και μεγαλύτερη χρονική διάρκεια παρέμβασης.

Στα τέλη του 1947, και ενώ ο ελληνικός εμφύλιος πόλεμος βρισκόταν σε πλήρη εξέλιξη, η Ελλάδα υπήρξε η μοναδική χώρα του δυτικού κόσμου που ψήφισε στον ΟΗΕ κατά της δημιουργίας ενός εβραϊκού κράτους στην περιοχή της Παλαιστίνης. Τις επόμενες τέσσερις δεκαετίες, έως και την de jure αναγνώριση του Ισραήλ από την κυβέρνηση του Κωνσταντίνου Μητσοτάκη το 1990, οι ελληνοϊσραηλινές σχέσεις διήλθαν περίοδο παρατεταμένης κρίσης. Το ίδιο διάστημα, εκ διαμέτρου αντίστροφα εξελίχθηκαν οι σχέσεις της Ελλάδας με τα αραβικά κράτη, καθώς η Αθήνα πραγματοποιούσε εντυπωσιακά «ανοίγματα» στον αραβικό κόσμο.Σκοπός του παρόντος βιβλίου είναι να προσφέρει μια γενική επισκόπηση της ελληνικής πολιτικής στη Μέση Ανατολή από τα τέλη του Β´ Παγκοσμίου Πολέμου έως τις αρχές της δεκαετίας του 1980 και να αναδειχθούν οι παράγοντες που «ωθούσαν» την ελληνική διπλωματία να υιοθετεί φιλοαραβική στάση: η ανάγκη προστασίας του Αιγυπτιώτη ελληνισμού και των Ελληνορθόδοξων Πατριαρχείων Ιεροσολύμων, Αντιοχείας και Αλεξανδρείας· η προσπάθεια εξασφάλισης της υποστήριξης των αραβικών κρατών στον ΟΗΕ ιδίως στο κυπριακό ζήτημα· η πρόσληψη της θέσης του Ισραήλ στο διεθνές σύστημα· η αίσθηση ότι η στρατηγική σημασία της Ελλάδας θα ενισχυόταν εάν έπαιζε τον ρόλο «προγεφυρώματος» ανάμεσα στον δυτικό κόσμο και τους Άραβες· και η προώθηση των ελληνικών οικονομικών συμφερόντων στη Μέση Ανατολή.

The present study investigates children’s and adolescents’ conceptions of death, focusing on its biological and metaphysical dimensions and their possible coexistence, with an emphasis on methodological choices. Specifically, it examines the association between these conceptions and factors such as age, parent–child discussions about death, parentalbeliefs (religiosity, spirituality, belief in an afterlife), as well as gender, death-related experiences, and socioeconomic background. The sample consisted of 180 children and adolescents aged 5–16 years and their parents, along with 30 adults included for comparative purposes. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with children and adolescents, using a revised version of the Death Concept Interview, and questionnaires for parents. The findings confirmed a clear developmentalprogression in the biological understanding of death, with significant advances observed between 9 and 12 years, whereas beliefs regarding psychological continuity after death remained relatively stable across age groups. Parents’ biological explanations were associated with stronger biological understanding in early childhood, whereas their metaphysical explanations were related to stronger beliefs in psychological continuity after death in middle childhood. Parents’ religiosity and belief in an afterlife were positively associated with children’s attribution of psychological continuity after death in middle childhood. The use of open-ended questions and a sequential, multi-level methodological approach contributed significantly to the in-depth investigation of the topic, highlighting latent aspects of biological understanding, as well as the coexistence of biological and metaphysical explanations as a dominant cognitive pattern rather than as an indication of conceptual confusion. The results underscore the importance of methodologically sensitive tools and contribute to the design of  developmentally appropriate educational practices and interventions.

Το συνεχώς αυξανόμενο ποσοστό παιδιών που διαγιγνώσκονται με αυτισμό – 1 στα 100 σύμφωνα με τον WHO (2024)- επιτάσσει στους  εκπαιδευτικούς να δημιουργήσουν φιλόξενα και ασφαλή περιβάλλοντα, έτσι ώστε οι μαθητές να ευαισθητοποιηθούν, να αναπτύξουν ενσυναίσθηση και να υιοθετήσουν θετικές στάσεις και συμπεριφορές απέναντι στους συμμαθητές τους με ΔΑΦ, καθώς το σχολείο αποτελεί σημείο συνάντησης και συνύπαρξης όλων των παιδιών. Στην παρούσα έρευνα παρουσιάζεται ο σχεδιασμός, η υλοποίηση και ο έλεγχος της αποτελεσματικότητας ενός πιλοτικού προγράμματος ευαισθητοποίησης για την αποδοχή των παιδιών με διαταραχή αυτιστικού φάσματος (ΔΑΦ) από τους συνομηλίκους τους στη σχολική τάξη, μέσω της αξιοποίησης ενός παιδικού εικονογραφημένου βιβλίου. Το πρόγραμμα εφαρμόστηκε σε ένα τμήμα της Γ΄ Δημοτικού (Ν = 15). Πριν και μετά την υλοποίησή του, πραγματοποιήθηκαν ημιδομημένες ατομικές συνεντεύξεις, βασισμένες σε σταθμισμένα ερωτηματολόγια, με στόχο τη διερεύνηση των γνώσεων και των στάσεων των μαθητών για τη ΔΑΦ. Οι στόχοι της παρέμβασης ήταν: τα παιδιά τυπικής ανάπτυξης (α) να αυξήσουν τις γνώσεις τους σχετικά με τη ΔΑΦ και (β) να υιοθετήσουν πιο θετικές στάσεις απέναντι στους συνομηλίκους τους με ΔΑΦ. Κατά την παρέμβαση χρησιμοποιήθηκε το βιβλίο «Όλες μου οι ρίγες» των Rudolph και Royer  (2020), το οποίο πλαισιώθηκε από συζητήσεις, παιχνίδια, κατασκευές, τραγούδια και δραματοποιήσεις. Για την επεξεργασία των δεδομένων εφαρμόστηκε η μέθοδος της θεματικής ανάλυσης. Τα ευρήματα έδειξαν σημαντική βελτίωση τόσο στη γνωστική κατανόηση των χαρακτηριστικών της ΔΑΦ όσο και στη διάθεση αποδοχής και ενσυναίσθησης απέναντι στους συνομηλίκους με ΔΑΦ. Καταγράφηκαν επίσης συναισθηματικές αλλαγές, ενίσχυση της ηθικής ευαισθησίας και μεγαλύτερη προθυμία για φιλία και κοινωνική αλληλεπίδραση. Ιδιαίτερο ενδιαφέρον παρουσίασε η διαφοροποίηση ως προς το φύλο, με τα κορίτσια να εμφανίζουν πιο σταθερά θετικές στάσεις, ενώ τα αγόρια παρουσίασαν μεγαλύτερη μεταβολή μετά την παρέμβαση. Συμπερασματικά, η παρέμβαση ανέδειξε τη δυναμική της παιδικής λογοτεχνίας και της ενσυναισθητικής προσέγγισης ως εργαλείων για την καλλιέργεια συμπεριληπτικών στάσεων στο δημοτικό σχολείο.