Regional Advisor of Transport Division, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Many eastern European and Central Asian

Transport systems play a vital role in supporting socio-economic activities all over the world, and especially, enhancing the activity and attractiveness of urban areas requires a drastic improvement in transport systems in order to provide users with better services, high reliability, high frequency and low emissions

Assessment of flexibility options in electric power systems based on maturity, environmental impact and barriers using Fuzzy Logic method and Analytic Hierarchy Process

The rapid integration of variable renewable energy sources (vRES) in conjunction with the reduction of coal-fired power plants increase the need for flexibility in electric power systems. In a previous research paper, twenty-three (23) flexibility options were assessed, based on their technical and economic characteristics, using Fuzzy Logic (FL) method and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Through this research paper the same Flexibility Options (FO) are assessed based on their maturity level, their environmental impact and the technical, economic, social and political/regulatory barriers they encounter in their deployment in Greece, using again FL and AHP methods. Data concerning maturity level and environmental impact are obtained through literature review while data concerning barriers are collected through a survey of energy expert’s opinions. In both methods (FL and AHP), Demand Response from Large Industrial Plants (DRLIP) is ranked 1st among the flexibility options having FSI 0.745 and GPV 0.483 while variable Renewable Energy Power Plants (vRE) and Biogas Power Plants (BGPP) are ranked 2nd and 3rd respectively. On the contrary, Power to Gas (PtG) is ranked 23rd (lowest in rank) using FL method and 22nd using AHP method. The results of the research are very important for the policymakers as they can identify in which sectors (commercial, environmental, technical, economic, social etc.) should take action in order to promote specific flexibility options according to their policy

A prospective randomised evaluation of G-CSF or G-CSF plus oral antibiotics in chemotherapy-treated patients at high risk of developing febrile neutropenia.

Febrile neutropenia (FN) remains a major dose-limiting complication among patients treated with chemotherapy. Haematopoietic colony stimulating factors (G-CSF and GM-CSF) made possible a significant improvement in the management of FN, both in the therapeutic and in the prophylactic approach. The use of antibiotic prophylaxis also permits a definite reduction of severe infections during neutropenia. Nevertheless, the possible role of these two interventions for secondary prevention of FN is still unclear.Clinical TrialJournal ArticleMulticenter StudyRandomized Controlled TrialSCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Contribution of miRNAs, tRNAs and tRFs to Aberrant Signaling and Translation Deregulation in Lung Cancer

Transcriptomics profiles of miRNAs, tRNAs or tRFs are used as biomarkers, after separate examination of several cancer cell lines, blood samples or biopsies. However, the possible contribution of all three profiles on oncogenic signaling and translation as a net regulatory effect, is under investigation. The present analysis of miRNAs and tRFs from lung cancer biopsies indicated putative targets, which belong to gene networks involved in cell proliferation, transcription and translation regulation. In addition, we observed differential expression of specific tRNAs along with several tRNA-related genes with possible involvement in carcinogenesis. Transfection of lung adenocarcinoma cells with two identified tRFs and subsequent NGS analysis indicated gene targets that mediate signaling and translation regulation. Broader analysis of all major signaling and translation factors in several biopsy specimens revealed a crosstalk between the PI3K/AKT and MAPK pathways and downstream activation of eIF4E and eEF2. Subsequent polysome profile analysis and 48S pre-initiation reconstitution experiments showed increased global translation rates and indicated that aberrant expression patterns of translation initiation factors could contribute to elevated protein synthesis. Overall, our results outline the modulatory effects that possibly correlate the expression of important regulatory non-coding RNAs with aberrant signaling and translation deregulation in lung cancer

The First World Conference on Clinical Cooperative Research for Lung Cancer, Brussels 4-6 March 1999

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A comparison of methods of calculation for estimating carboplatin AUC with a retrospective pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic analysis in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer

We retrospectively analysed the data obtained in a large randomised trial performed in 505 eligible patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Its purpose had been to compare a combination of carboplatin (200mg/m2) and cisplatin (60mg/m2) with or without the addition of ifosfamide. The present retrospective analysis assessed two ways of dosing carboplatin: according to body surface area (mg/m2) or to the estimated targeted area under the concentration versus time curve (AUC). Two different methods were used in the latter calculation: the Calvert formula using the Cockroft approximation to evaluate the glomerular filtration rate and the Chatelut equation. There was an excellent linear correlation between them. With the Chatelut method, the calculated administered AUC were lower. Whichever method was used, carboplatin AUC was not significantly associated with antitumour response rate nor patient survival. A statistically significant increase in haematological toxicity, mainly thrombopenia, was observed with an increase in the AUC. This effect was observed whatever AUC variable was considered, i.e. total dosage at course one, total dosage during the first three chemotherapy courses or dose intensity during the first three courses. The effect remained highly significant after adjustment for treatment arm. We conclude that for a moderate carboplatin dose in non-small cell lung cancer, the therapeutic index could be improved if dosage is calculated according to the AUC. Copyright (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Phase III randomized trial comparing cisplatin and carboplatin with or without ifosfamide in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer

SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe