Thermal Flow Measurements by a Flexible Sensor, Implemented on the External Surface of the Flow Channel

AbstractA thermal gas flow sensor was developed and evaluated. The presented implementation requires only low-cost manufacturing techniques and readily available components, while maintaining a high level of detection range and sensitivity. Heater and sensing elements were integrated on a flexible substrate and the device was formed by bending the substrate so that the active elements were placed on the external surface of the formed channel, therefore zero flow interference is achieved and a wide variety of fluids can be measured without compromising the sensor integrity. Evaluation was made using air flow rates in the range of 0-65SLPM utilizing electrical measurements and IR imaging techniques simultaneously

Οι ένοπλες δυνάμεις ως μηχανισμός μεταναστευτικής πολιτικής στην Ευρώπη και η συνεισφορά τους στον ασφαλή διάδρομο της Ελλάδος

Η παρούσα εργασία πραγματεύεται την συνδρομή των ενόπλων δυνάμεων των ευρωπαϊκών χώρων στην διαχείριση του φαινομένου της μετανάστευσης στην Ευρώπη και κυρίως στην αντιμετώπιση της υφιστάμενης μεταναστευτικής κρίσης στην Ελλάδα αναλύοντας όλο το φάσμα των δράσεων τους. Στο πρώτο κεφάλαιο επιχειρείται να δοθεί μια έμφαση στην ιστορική αναδρομή της μεταναστευτικής κρίσης στην Ευρώπη και αντιστοίχως στον κοινωνικό ρόλο των ενόπλων δυνάμεων στην διαχείριση των ανθρωπιστικών κρίσεων. Στο δεύτερο κεφάλαιο θα αναλυθεί η Ευρωπαϊκή ατζέντα για την διαμόρφωση μεταναστευτικής πολιτικής , παραθέτοντας το διεθνές και ευρωπαϊκό πλαίσιο για την μετανάστευση καθώς και την ευρωπαϊκή πολιτική ασφαλείας ,όπως αυτή έχει καθοριστεί μέσα από το πλαίσιο των εθνικών και ευρωπαϊκών συνθηκών, διακρατικών διπλωματικών συμφωνιών (ομάδα VISEGRAD) και του ευρωπαϊκού νομικού-θεσμικού πλαισίου. Επίσης θα παρατεθούν τα μέσα υλοποίησης της ευρωπαϊκής πολιτικής ασφαλείας και αφορούν την επιχειρησιακή συνεργασία κρατών στην σχεδίαση αντιμετώπισης της κρίσης και έχοντας βασικό άξονα την δράση των ενόπλων δυνάμεων (FRONTEX, Ευρωπαϊκή Υπηρεσία Συνοριοφυλακής και Ακτοφυλακής, Ευρωπαϊκό Σύστημα Επιτήρησης Συνόρων κ.α) . Στο τρίτο κεφάλαιο θα γίνει μια επισκόπηση των στρατηγικών και πολιτικών ασφαλείας των χωρών υποδοχής της Μεσογείου (Ιταλία Γαλλία) καθώς και των χωρών αποστολής μέσα από το μονοπάτι της Βαλκανικής μέχρι την Κεντρική Ευρώπη (Σερβία, ΠΓΔΜ, Ουγγαρία, Γερμανία). Συγκεκριμένα θα αναλυθούν οι στρατηγικές, μέσα από την υιοθέτηση της εμπλοκής των ενόπλων δυνάμεων στην πολιτική σχεδίασης για την αντιμετώπιση της κλιμακούμενης προσφυγικής ροής και του μηχανισμού εγκατάστασης και φιλοξενίας. Στο τέταρτο κεφάλαιο θα εστιαστούμε στον «ασφαλή» διάδρομο της Ελλάδος, τα σύνορα της Ευρώπης με την Τουρκία , η οποία αποτέλεσε βασική παράμετρο της ευρωπαϊκής πολιτικής ασφάλειας. Η δεδομένη καίρια γεωπολιτικής της θέση, οδήγησε στην υποδοχή ενός μεγάλου αριθμού προσφυγικών ροών κυρίως, την διετία 2015-2016 και στην συνέχεια πρωτοφανής κινητοποίηση των Ελληνικών Ενόπλων Δυνάμεων για την υποστήριξη του κρατικού μηχανισμού και στην σταδιακή διαχείριση της κρίσης. Συνοψίζοντας στο τελευταίο κεφάλαιο, επιδιώκεται να τονιστεί η λειτουργία των ένοπλων δυνάμεων ως αλληλεπιδρών μηχανισμός ανάπτυξης πολιτικής και στρατηγικής διαχείρισης μιας ανθρωπιστικής κρίσης , όπως η προσφυγική και να αναδειχθούν προοπτικές για μια πιο ολοκληρωμένη αντιμετώπιση.ABSTRACT Τhe present work deals with the contribution of the armed forces of the European countries to the management of the phenomenon of immigration in Europe and mainly to address the current immigration crisis in Greece by analyzing the whole spectrum of their actions. The first chapter attempts to place an emphasis on the historical reflection of the migratory crisis in Europe and on the social role of the armed forces in the management of humanitarian crises. The second chapter will analyze European immigration policy through the current European agenda, quoting the international and European framework for migration as well as European security policy as defined through the framework of national and European treaties, transnational diplomatic agreements (VISEGRAD Group) and the European legal and institutional framework. It will also outline the implementation of European security policy and address operational co-operation of States in crisis response planning and the action of the armed forces (FRONTEX, European Border Guard and Coast Guard Service, European Border Surveillance System etc.). In the third chapter there will be an overview of the security strategies and policies of the Mediterranean host countries (Italy, France) as well as the sending countries through the Balkan path to Central Europe (Serbia, FYROM, Hungary, Germany). In particular, the strategies will be analyzed, through the adoption of the armed forces' involvement in the policy design to address the escalating refugee flow and the installation and hosting mechanism. In the fourth chapter, we will focus on the "safe" corridor of Greece, the border of Europe with Turkey, which has been a key aspect of European security policy. Its given key geopolitical position led to a large number of refugee flows, mainly during the period 2015-2016, and then the unprecedented mobilization of the Hellenic Armed Forces to support the state mechanism and the progressive management of the crisis. Summing up in the last chapter, it is intended to highlight the functioning of the armed forces as an interactive mechanism for policy development and strategic management of a humanitarian crisis, such as refugee, and to provide prospects for a more integrated approach

A Methodological Framework for the Comparative Analysis of the Environmental Performance of Roadway and Railway Transport

Low-carbon transport is a priority in addressing climate change. Transport is still almost totally dependent on fossil fuels (96%) and accounts for almost 60% of global oil use. Sustainable transport systems, both passenger and freight, should be economically and technically feasible, but also low-carbon and environmentally friendly. The calculation of greenhouse gas emissions in transport projects is becoming a primary target of transport companies as a part of an endeavor for low-carbon strategies to reduce the energy demand and environmental impact. This paper investigates the CO2 impact of construction and operation of the main highway and railway line infrastructure in Greece, which connects Athens and Thessaloniki, the capital and the second biggest city in Greece respectively and provides a comparative analysis in roadway and railway transport

Prognostic significance of metallothionein expression in renal cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Metallothionein (MT) protein expression deficiency has been implicated in carcinogenesis while MT over expression in tumors is indicative of tumor resistance to anti-cancer treatment. The purpose of the study was to examine the expression of MT expression in human renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and to correlate MT positivity, the pattern and extent of MT expression with tumor histologic cell type and nuclear grade, pathologic stage and patients' survival. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The immunohistochemical expression of MT was determined in 43 formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded RCC specimens, using a mouse monoclonal antibody that reacts with both human MT-I and MT-II. Correlation was sought between immunohistochemical (MT positivity, intensity and extension of staining) and clinico-pathological data (histological cell type, tumor nuclear grade, pathologic stage and patients' survival). RESULTS: Positive MT staining was present in 21 cases (49%), being mild/moderate and intense in 8 and 13 cases, respectively. The pattern was cytoplasmic in 7 cases and was both cytoplasmic and nuclear in 14 cases. MT expression in a percentage of up to 25% of tumor cells (negative MT staining included) was observed in 31 cases, in a percentage 25–50% of tumor cells in 7 cases, and in a percentage of 50–75% of tumor cells in 5 cases. There was no significant correlation of MT intensity of staining to histological type, stage and patients' survival, while it was inversely correlated to higher tumor nuclear grade. MT extent of staining did not correlate with histological type, nuclear grade, and pathologic stage while a statistically significant association was found with patients' survival. CONCLUSIONS: The inverse correlation between MT staining intensity and tumor nuclear grade in RCC suggests a role of MT in tumor differentiation process. Since extent of MT expression is inversely correlated with survival it may be possibly used as a clinical prognostic parameter

Castrati singers: surgery for religion and art

The act of castration was practiced from ancient times. In countries of Middle and Far East, castration was often done to provide eunuchs as guardians of the harems. In Europe and especially in Italy, it was carried out to preserve the male voice unbroken into adult life. From 16th century till the end of 18th century, castrati singers dominated opera with their supernatural voices. Boys were castrated mainly before the age of 9 years and when they grew up they had feminine characteristics, such as smooth, hairless bodies, breasts, infantile penis. The training procedure to become a castrato singer was very intense and lasted up to ten years. The most common surgical technique was either to sever the spermatic cords or crush the testis with the fingers. The voice of a castrato was the outcome of a larynx the size of a child’s combined with the lung volume of an adult male. The castrati singers became superstars who dominated opera, singing both male and female roles for more than 200 years. Castrated for art, the beauty, range and flexibility of their voices raised them to mythical status

Terazosin treatment suppresses basic fibroblast growth factor expression in the rat ventral prostate

Purpose: Alpha1-adrenergic receptor antagonists may not act solely on smooth muscle contractility. We evaluated the in vivo effect of the alpha1 blocker, terazosin, on the expression of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in the rat ventral prostate. Methods: Wistar rats were treated with terazosin (1.2 mg/kg body weight, po, every second day) for 120 days. The expression of bFGF was assessed immuno-histochemically in tissue sections and by Western blotting in whole tissue preparations. Results: Terazosin treatment did not affect prostate weight or histomorphology. In the control group, epithelial and stromal cells demonstrated positive staining for the anti-bFGF antibody. In contrast, the same staining in terazosin-treated specimens was either absent or extremely weak. An analogous difference was observed among the corresponding immunoblots. Conclusions: These findings implicate the reduction of bFGF expression by terazosin as a potential additional molecular mechanism of its action that may include alterations in peptide growth factor mediated prostate homeostasis

Efficacy of tolterodine in preventing urge incontinence immediately after prostatectomy

Purpose: Urgency and urge incontinence are frequently observed after prostatectomy. Although symptoms ameliorate within a relatively short time, they usually cause significant stress and anxiety to the patient as far as their duration is concerned. Aim of our study was to determine the efficacy of tolterodine in preventing urgency and urge incontinence after catheter removal in patients that underwent prostatectomy for benign prostate hyperplasia. Patients and methods: Twenty-seven patients with moderate/severe lower urinary tract symptoms due to benign prostatic enlargement, scheduled for prostatectomy, were randomised into two groups, Group A (14 pts) received tolterodine 2 mg b.i.d starting the day of surgery, while group B patients received no such treatment. Tolterodine treatment was discontinued 15 days after catheter removal. All patients completed the International Prostatic Symptom Score (IPSS) and the International Continence Society (ICS-BPH) forms the day before surgery, and three times more, one, fifteen and thirty days after catheter removal. Results: Pre-operative total IPSS and frequency of urgency/urge incontinence as determined by questions 3 and 4 of the ICS-BPH questionnaire were equally distributed between groups, Tolterodine was well tolerated and no adverse effects were reported. Post-operative IPSS and QoL scores did not differ between groups. However, the frequency of urge incontinence both the first day and fifteen days after catheter removal was significantly lower in the tolterodine group (16.6% vs. 69.2%, p=0.004 and 8.3% vs. 38.4%, p=0.039, respectively). Conclusion: Tolterodine was well tolerated in all patients and had a beneficial effect regarding the postoperative urge incontinence. Trials of a larger scale could determine which patients would benefit more, especially according to the presence of storage lower urinary tract symptoms prior to surgery