VISUALIZATION OF DATASETS FROM URBAN GEOLOGY STUDIES USING GOOGLE EARTH: THE CASE STUDY OF NAFPLIO, ARGOLIS PREFECTURE.

The systematic use of tools provided in Geographic Information Systems in data mapping makes easy the management of the data acquired from urban geology studies. However, the information derived concern not only the scientific society but also the local authorities and the general public. Thus, a simple way of data dissemination had to be adopted. Online tools, such as those pioneered by Google EarthTM (GE), are changing the way in which scientists and the general public interact with geospatial data in a virtual environment. In the past years since its 2005 introduction, GE has introduced numerous applications, in geosciences as well as in many socio-economic disciplines. I.G.M.E., in the framework of CSF 2000 – 2006 (Operational Program “Competitiveness”), implemented the project called “Collection, codification and documentation of geothematic information for urban and suburban areas in Greece. Pilot studies”. Data management and cartographic representation was performed using G.I.S., where a geographic database was created, including all available information for the studied areas: geology, topography, satellite images, geophysical, geochemical, geotechnical, hydrogeological and geoarchaeological data. Critical information from the geodatabase concerning the study area of the city of Nafplio, Argolis Prefecture, were imported in Google Earth and stored as a Keywhole Markup Language Zipped file, rendering a 2-D layer in GE directly, to facilitate dissemination.The systematic use of tools provided in Geographic Information Systems in data mapping makes easy the management of the data acquired from urban geology studies. However, the information derived concern not only the scientific society but also the local authorities and the general public. Thus, a simple way of data dissemination had to be adopted. Online tools, such as those pioneered by Google EarthTM (GE), are changing the way in which scientists and the general public interact with geospatial data in a virtual environment. In the past years since its 2005 introduction, GE has introduced numerous applications, in geosciences as well as in many socio-economic disciplines. I.G.M.E., in the framework of CSF 2000 – 2006 (Operational Program “Competitiveness”), implemented the project called “Collection, codification and documentation of geothematic information for urban and suburban areas in Greece. Pilot studies”. Data management and cartographic representation was performed using G.I.S., where a geographic database was created, including all available information for the studied areas: geology, topography, satellite images, geophysical, geochemical, geotechnical, hydrogeological and geoarchaeological data. Critical information from the geodatabase concerning the study area of the city of Nafplio, Argolis Prefecture, were imported in Google Earth and stored as a Keywhole Markup Language Zipped file, rendering a 2-D layer in GE directly, to facilitate dissemination

Pittsburgh compound B imaging and cerebrospinal fluid amyloid-β in a multicentre European memory clinic study

The aim of this study was to assess the agreement between data on cerebral amyloidosis, derived using Pittsburgh compound B positron emission tomography and (i) multi-laboratory INNOTEST enzyme linked immunosorbent assay derived cerebrospinal fluid concentrations of amyloid-β 42 ; (ii) centrally measured cerebrospinal fluid amyloid-β 42 using a Meso Scale Discovery enzyme linked immunosorbent assay; and (iii) cerebrospinal fluid amyloid-β 42 centrally measured using an antibody-independent mass spectrometry-based reference method. Moreover, we examined the hypothesis that discordance between amyloid biomarker measurements may be due to interindividual differences in total amyloid-β production, by using the ratio of amyloid-β 42 to amyloid-β 40 . Our study population consisted of 243 subjects from seven centres belonging to the Biomarkers for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease Initiative, and included subjects with normal cognition and patients with mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and vascular dementia. All had Pittsburgh compound B positron emission tomography data, cerebrospinal fluid INNOTEST amyloid-β 42 values, and cerebrospinal fluid samples available for reanalysis. Cerebrospinal fluid samples were reanalysed (amyloid-β 42 and amyloid-β 40 ) using Meso Scale Discovery electrochemiluminescence enzyme linked immunosorbent assay technology, and a novel, antibody-independent, mass spectrometry reference method. Pittsburgh compound B standardized uptake value ratio results were scaled using the Centiloid method. Concordance between Meso Scale Discovery/mass spectrometry reference measurement procedure findings and Pittsburgh compound B was high in subjects with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease, while more variable results were observed for cognitively normal and non-Alzheimer’s disease groups. Agreement between Pittsburgh compound B classification and Meso Scale Discovery/mass spectrometry reference measurement procedure findings was further improved when using amyloid-β 42/40 . Agreement between Pittsburgh compound B visual ratings and Centiloids was near complete. Despite improved agreement between Pittsburgh compound B and centrally analysed cerebrospinal fluid, a minority of subjects showed discordant findings. While future studies are needed, our results suggest that amyloid biomarker results may not be interchangeable in some individuals

GEOARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDIES IN URBAN AND SUBURBAN AREAS OF THE ARGOLIS PREFECTURE.

The application of earth science principles and techniques to the understanding of the archaeo-logical record has become a common practice, while reducing the archaeological risk is possible by clarifying areas of archaeological potential at an early stage. Towards this scope non-invasive geophysical magnetometry surveys were carried out at the city of Argos, successfully locating areas of interest for future excavations. Geoarchaeology studies in the Argolis Prefecture also involved the spatial location of the archaeological protection zones in the city of Nafplio, by combining data from the Official Government Gazettes, aerial photographs and high-resolution satellite images. Another study dealt with the palaeogeographic evolution of the broader Palea Epidavros area; fieldwork comprised electric resistivity soundings, total field magnetic measurements and two research boreholes at different altitudes. Finally, geoarchaeological research was employed to locate rocks suitable for the restoration of the Grave Circle A of Mycenae. The data management and cartographic representation was performed, in all cases, using Geographic Information Systems, where a geographic database was created, including all available information: local geology, topographic features, satellite images and archaeological data

Longitudinal tau and metabolic PET imaging in relation to novel CSF tau measures in Alzheimer's disease

PURPOSE: Studies comparing CSF and PET tau biomarkers have included only commercial CSF assays examining specific phosphorylation sites (e.g. threonine 181, P-tau181p) and mid-domain tau (i.e. total tau, T-tau). Moreover, these studies did not examine CSF tau levels in relation to cerebral glucose metabolism. We thus aimed to examine CSF tau measures, using both commercial and novel assays, in relation to [18F]THK5317 (tau) and [18F]FDG PET (glucose metabolism). METHODS: Fourteen Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients (seven prodromal, seven dementia) underwent [18F]THK5317 and [18F]FDG PET studies, with follow-up performed in ten subjects (six prodromal, four dementia) after 17 months. In addition to commercial assays, novel measures capturing N-terminus+mid-domain (tau N-Mid) and C-terminally truncated (tau-368) fragments were included. RESULTS: While the levels of all forms of CSF tau were found to be inversely associated with baseline [18F]FDG uptake, associations with baseline [18F]THK5317 uptake varied in relation to the degree of isocortical hypometabolism ([18F]FDG SUVR). Changes in the levels of the novel CSF markers tracked longitudinal changes in tracer uptake better than changes in P-tau181p and T-tau levels, and improved concordance with dichotomized regional [18F]THK5317 measures. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that neurodegeneration may modulate the relationship between CSF and PET tau biomarkers, and that, by comparison to P-tau181p and T-tau, tau-368 and tau N-Mid may better capture tau pathology and synaptic impairment

Cecal obstruction due to primary intestinal tuberculosis: a case series

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Primary intestinal tuberculosis is a rare variant of tuberculosis. The preferred treatment is usually pharmaceutical, but surgery may be required for complicated cases.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We report two cases of primary intestinal tuberculosis where the initial diagnosis was wrong, with colonic cancer suggested in the first case and a Crohn's disease complication in the second. Both of our patients were Caucasians of Greek nationality. In the first case (a 60-year-old man), a right hemicolectomy was performed. In the second case (a 26-year-old man), excision was impossible due to the local conditions and peritoneal implantations. Histopathology revealed an inflammatory mass of tuberculous origin in the first case. In the second, cell culture and polymerase chain reaction tests revealed <it>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</it>. Both patients were given anti-tuberculosis therapy and their post-operative follow-up was uneventful.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Gastrointestinal tuberculosis still appears sporadically and should be considered in the differential diagnosis along with other conditions of the bowel. The use of immunosuppressants and new pharmaceutical agents can change the prevalence of tuberculosis.</p

Adiponectin in relation to childhood myeloblastic leukaemia

Adiponectin, an adipocyte-specific secretory protein known to induce apoptosis, has been reported to be inversely related to breast and endometrial cancers and recently found to inhibit proliferation of myeloid but not lymphoid cell lines. We hypothesised that adiponectin may be inversely associated with acute myeloblastic leukaemia (AML), but not with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia of B (ALL-B) or T (ALL-T) cell origin in children. Blood samples and clinical information were collected over the period 1996–2000 from 201 children (0–14 years old) with leukaemia (22 AML, 161 ALL-B and 18 ALL-T cases) through a national network of childhood Hematology-Oncology units in Greece and from 201 controls hospitalised for minor pediatric ailments. Serum adiponectin levels were measured under code, at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA using a radioimmunoassay procedure. Each of the three leukaemia groups was compared with the control group through multiple logistic regression. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for an increase of adiponectin equal to 1 s.d. among controls were estimated controlling for gender, age, as well as for height and weight, expressed in age–gender-specific centiles of Greek growth curves. Adiponectin was inversely associated with AML (OR=0.56; 95% CI, 0.34–0.94), whereas it was not significantly associated with either ALL-B (OR=0.88; 95% CI, 0.71–1.10) or ALL-T (OR=1.08; 95% CI, 0.67–1.72). Biological plausibility and empirical evidence point to the importance of this hormone in the pathogenesis of childhood AML

Data driven diagnostic classification in Alzheimer's disease based on different reference regions for normalization of PiB-PET images and correlation with CSF concentrations of Aβ species

Positron emission tomography (PET) neuroimaging with the Pittsburgh Compound_B (PiB) is widely used to assess amyloid plaque burden. Standard quantification approaches normalize PiB-PET by mean cerebellar gray matter uptake. Previous studies suggested similar pons and white-matter uptake in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and healthy controls (HC), but lack exhaustive comparison of normalization across the three regions, with data-driven diagnostic classification. We aimed to compare the impact of distinct reference regions in normalization, measured by data-driven statistical analysis, and correlation with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) amyloid β (Aβ) species concentrations. 243 individuals with clinical diagnosis of AD, HC, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and other dementias, from the Biomarkers for Alzheimer's/Parkinson's Disease (BIOMARKAPD) initiative were included. PiB-PET images and CSF concentrations of Aβ38, Aβ40 and Aβ42 were submitted to classification using support vector machines. Voxel-wise group differences and correlations between normalized PiB-PET images and CSF Aβ concentrations were calculated. Normalization by cerebellar gray matter and pons yielded identical classification accuracy of AD (accuracy-96%, sensitivity-96%, specificity-95%), and significantly higher than Aβ concentrations (best accuracy 91%). Normalization by the white-matter showed decreased extent of statistically significant multivoxel patterns and was the only method not outperforming CSF biomarkers, suggesting statistical inferiority. Aβ38 and Aβ40 correlated negatively with PiB-PET images normalized by the white-matter, corroborating previous observations of correlations with non-AD-specific subcortical changes in white-matter. In general, when using the pons as reference region, higher voxel-wise group differences and stronger correlation with Aβ42, the Aβ42/Aβ40 or Aβ42/Aβ38 ratios were found compared to normalization based on cerebellar gray matter

Automated office blood pressure measurements in primary care are misleading in more than one third of treated hypertensives: The VALENTINE-Greece Home Blood Pressure Monitoring study

Abstract Background This study assessed the diagnostic reliability of automated office blood pressure (OBP) measurements in treated hypertensive patients in primary care by evaluating the prevalence of white coat hypertension (WCH) and masked uncontrolled hypertension (MUCH) phenomena. Methods Primary care physicians, nationwide in Greece, assessed consecutive hypertensive patients on stable treatment using OBP (1 visit, triplicate measurements) and home blood pressure (HBP) measurements (7 days, duplicate morning and evening measurements). All measurements were performed using validated automated devices with bluetooth capacity (Omron M7 Intelli-IT). Uncontrolled OBP was defined as ≥140/90 mmHg, and uncontrolled HBP was defined as ≥135/85 mmHg. Results A total of 790 patients recruited by 135 doctors were analyzed (age: 64.5 ± 14.4 years, diabetics: 21.4%, smokers: 20.6%, and average number of antihypertensive drugs: 1.6 ± 0.8). OBP (137.5 ± 9.4/84.3 ± 7.7 mmHg, systolic/diastolic) was higher than HBP (130.6 ± 11.2/79.9 ± 8 mmHg; difference 6.9 ± 11.6/4.4 ± 7.6 mmHg, p Conclusions In primary care, automated OBP measurements are misleading in approximately 40% of treated hypertensive patients. HBP monitoring is mandatory to avoid overtreatment of subjects with WCH phenomenon and prevent undertreatment and subsequent excess cardiovascular disease in MUCH

Rethinking stasis and utopianism: empty placards and imaginative boredom in the Greek crisis-scape

This chapter traces specific modalities for performing stasis and rethinking utopianism against the backdrop of the recent financial crisis in Greece and, generally, of conditions shaped within the totalizing order Mark Fisher has called “capitalist realism.” Boletsi probes the ways two works deal with the (im)possibility of resistance from within the neoliberal “now”: the short story “Placard and Broomstick” (Ikonomou) and an Athenian wall writing that translates as “I am bored imaginatively.” The empty placard that takes center stage in Ikonomou’s story and the imaginative boredom registered on the walls of Athens test different modalities of stasis against alienation, dispossession, and the contracting of the future. Boletsi argues that both works disengage from conceptions of subjectivity that rest on the binary of either a passive or an active subject—either an acquiescent victim or a revolutionary hero who challenges power from its outside. The story stages the desire for alternative languages by registering a crisis of representation and the inadequacy of existing narratives. The wall writing taps into the modality of the “middle voice” to reconfigure one of the symptoms of capitalist realism—the boredom of unemployment, consumerism, or an indebted life—into a potential resource for different modes of being that carry glimpses of utopianism. Both works, albeit differently, challenge neoliberal imperatives of acquiescence, normalization, or “moving forward.” Although they stage the limited possibilities for resistance within a totalizing system, they also enable alternative configurations of subjectivity, agency, and futurity.Modern and Contemporary Studie