SHORELINE EFFECTS OF 10-28 RUNWAY OF “MACEDONIA" AIRPORT EXTENSION INTO THE SEA LABORATORY STUDY

Προκειμένου να διερευνηθούν οι επιπτώσεις στις παρακείμενες ακτές από την επέκταση στη θάλασσα του διαδρόμου προσαπογειώσεων "10-28", του κρατικού διεθνή αερολιμένα Θεσσαλονίκης "Μακεδονία", ανατέθηκε από το Υ.ΠΕ.ΧΩ.Δ.Ε./Ε.Υ.Δ.Ε. Αεροδρομίων Βόρειας Ελλάδας, στο Εργαστήριο Λιμενικών Έργων του Εθνικού Μετσόβιου Πολυτεχνείου η έρευνα σε φυσικό προσομοίωμα. Κατά την πειραματική μελέτη της κυματικής διαταραχής στην περιοχή του αερολιμένα, παρατηρήθηκε μικρή αύξηση της κυματικής διαταραχής λόγω ανάκλασης των προσπιπτόντων κυματισμών στο μέτωπο του προβλεπόμενου έργου και προσωρινές ζώνες στασιμότητας ροής στις γωνίες του, ενώ δεν παρατηρήθηκε συστηματική και αξιοσημείωτη αλλοίωση της ακτογραμμής από την παρουσία του έργου. Οι κατασκευαστικές εργασίες (λιμενικά έργα) έχουν ξεκινήσει από το τέλος του 2006. Τα αποτελέσματα των πειραματικών μετρήσεων στο φυσικό προσομοίωμα επιβεβαιώνονται με την απόκριση του έργου στη φύση δεδομένου ότι δεν έχουν σημειωθεί μέχρι σήμερα αλλοιώσεις και διάβρωση της ακτογραμμής.Thessaloniki International Airport “Macedonia” had decided the extension of the existing Runway “10-28” by about 1 km west into the sea. In order to assure that no catastrophic erosion of the adjacent beaches will occur due to such a big construction into the sea, the Ministry of Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works assigned Laboratory of Harbour Works of National Technical University of Athens the experimental investigation of its coastal impacts. Wave perturbation, wave overtopping and beach response to the construction of the Runway were tested. The construction of the Runway in the sea has already started. The experimental results were confirmed by field observation

Five years of the #RSCPoster Twitter conference

The #RSCPoster Twitter conference is an annual, 24 hour poster conference held each March on Twitter. This original conference format has enabled hundreds of participants to share their research, with 32 million measurable impressions of #RSCPoster in 2020, participation growing each year and inspiring new conferences. Here, we will give a brief outline of the history, technicalities and content of the event

Absolut “copper catalyzation perfected”; robust living polymerization of NIPAM : Guinness is good for SET-LRP

The controlled polymerization of N-isopropyl acrylamide (NIPAM) is reported in a range of international beers, wine, ciders and spirits utilizing Cu(0)-mediated living radical polymerization (SET-LRP). Highly active Cu(0) is first formed in situ by the rapid disproportionation of [Cu(I)(Me6-Tren)Br] in the commercial water–alcohol mixtures. Rapid, yet highly controlled, radical polymerization follows (Đ values as low as 1.05) despite the numerous chemicals of diverse functionality present in these solvents e.g. alpha acids, sugars, phenols, terpenoids, flavonoids, tannins, metallo-complexes, anethole etc. The results herein demonstrate the robust nature of the aqueous SET-LRP protocol, underlining its ability to operate efficiently in a wide range of complex chemical environments

Rethinking palliative care in a public health context: addressing the needs of persons with non-communicable chronic diseases

Non-communicable chronic diseases (NCCDs) are the main cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Demographic aging has resulted in older populations with more complex healthcare needs. This necessitates a multilevel rethinking of healthcare policies, health education and community support systems with digitalization of technologies playing a central role. The European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Aging (A3) working group focuses on well-being for older adults, with an emphasis on quality of life and healthy aging. A subgroup of A3, including multidisciplinary stakeholders in health care across Europe, focuses on the palliative care (PC) model as a paradigm to be modified to meet the needs of older persons with NCCDs. This development paper delineates the key parameters we identified as critical in creating a public health model of PC directed to the needs of persons with NCCDs. This paradigm shift should affect horizontal components of public health models. Furthermore, our model includes vertical components often neglected, such as nutrition, resilience, well-being and leisure activities. The main enablers identified are information and communication technologies, education and training programs, communities of compassion, twinning activities, promoting research and increasing awareness amongst policymakers. We also identified key 'bottlenecks': inequity of access, insufficient research, inadequate development of advance care planning and a lack of co-creation of relevant technologies and shared decision-making. Rethinking PC within a public health context must focus on developing policies, training and technologies to enhance person-centered quality life for those with NCCD, while ensuring that they and those important to them experience death with dignity

The experiences of patients ill with COVID-19-like symptoms and the role of testing for SARS-CoV-2 in supporting them: a qualitative study in eight European countries during the first wave of the pandemic

Background Access to testing during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic was limited, impacting patients with COVID-19-like symptoms. Current qualitative studies have been limited to one country or were conducted outside Europe. Objectives To explore - in eight European countries - the experiences of patients consulting in primary care with COVID-19-like symptoms during the first wave of the pandemic. Methods Sixty-six semi-structured interviews, informed by a topic guide, were conducted by telephone or in person between April and July 2020. Patients with COVID-19-like symptoms were purposively recruited in primary care sites in eight countries and sampled based on age, gender, and symptom presentation. Deductive and inductive thematic analysis techniques were used to develop a framework representing data across settings. Data adequacy was attained by collecting rich data. Results Seven themes were identified, which described the experiences of patients consulting. Two themes are reported in this manuscript describing the role of COVID-19 testing in this experience. Patients described significant distress due to their symptoms, especially those at higher risk of complications from COVID-19, and those with severe symptoms. Patients wanted access to testing to identify the cause of their illness and minimise the burden of managing uncertainty. Some patients testing positive for COVID-19 assumed they would be immune from future infection. Conclusion Patients experiencing novel and severe symptoms, particularly those with comorbidities, experienced a significant emotional and psychological burden due to concerns about COVID-19. Testing provided reassurance over health status and helped patients identify which guidance to follow. Testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 led to some patients thinking they were immune from future infection, thus influencing subsequent behaviour

Household air pollution and respiratory health in rural Crete, Greece: a cross-sectional FRESH AIR study

Breathing polluted air is a risk to respiratory conditions. During the Greek financial crisis, the use of household fireplaces/wood stoves shifted from mostly decorative to actual domestic heating, resulting in increased indoor smoke production. We aimed to evaluate household air pollution (HAP), fuel use and respiratory symptoms in rural Crete, Greece. PM2.5 and CO were measured in 32 purposively selected rural households (cross-sectional study) at periods reflecting lesser (baseline) versus extensive (follow-up) heating. Clinical outcomes were assessed using questionnaires. Mean PM2.5 were not significantly different between measurements (36.34 mu g/m(3) vs. 54.38 mu g/m(3), p = 0.60) but exceeded the WHO air quality guidelines. Mean and maximal CO levels were below the WHO cut-offs (0.56 ppm vs. 0.34 ppm, p = 0.414 and 26.1 ppm vs. 9.72 ppm, p = 0.007, respectively). In total, 90.6% of households were using wood stoves or fireplaces for heating, but half also owned clean fuel devices. The differences between devices that were owned versus those that were used were attributed to financial reasons. In both cases, the most frequent respiratory symptoms were phlegm (27.3% vs. 15.2%; p = 0.34) and cough (24.2% vs. 12.1%; p = 0.22). Our findings demonstrate the magnitude of HAP and confirm the return to harmful practices during Greece's austerity. Upon validation, these results can support strategies for fighting fuel poverty, empowering communities and strengthening local health systems.Prevention, Population and Disease management (PrePoD)Public Health and primary car

Can integrated care help in meeting the challenges posed on our health care systems by COVID-19? Some preliminary lessons learned from the european VIGOUR project

The COVID-19 pandemic puts health and care systems under pressure globally. This current paper highlights challenges arising in the care for older and vulnerable populations in this context and reflects upon possible perspectives for different systems making use of nested integrated care approaches adapted during the work of the EU-funded project VIGOUR

Kinase-activating and kinase-impaired cardio-facio-cutaneous syndrome alleles have activity during zebrafish development and are sensitive to small molecule inhibitors

The Ras/MAPK pathway is critical for human development and plays a central role in the formation and progression of most cancers. Children born with germ-line mutations in BRAF, MEK1 or MEK2 develop cardio-facio-cutaneous (CFC) syndrome, an autosomal dominant syndrome characterized by a distinctive facial appearance, heart defects, skin and hair abnormalities and mental retardation. CFC syndrome mutations in BRAF promote both kinase-activating and kinase-impaired variants. CFC syndrome has a progressive phenotype, and the availability of clinically active inhibitors of the MAPK pathway prompts the important question as to whether such inhibitors might be therapeutically effective in the treatment of CFC syndrome. To study the developmental effects of CFC mutant alleles in vivo, we have expressed a panel of 28 BRAF and MEK alleles in zebrafish embryos to assess the function of human disease alleles and available chemical inhibitors of this pathway. We find that both kinase-activating and kinase-impaired CFC mutant alleles promote the equivalent developmental outcome when expressed during early development and that treatment of CFC-zebrafish embryos with inhibitors of the FGF-MAPK pathway can restore normal early development. Importantly, we find a developmental window in which treatment with a MEK inhibitor can restore the normal early development of the embryo, without the additional, unwanted developmental effects of the drug