Preface [Proceedings of the 25th ECA European Congress of Arachnology, 16 – 21 August 2009, Alexandroupoli, Greece]

The 25th European Congress of Arachnology was held in the city of Alexandroupolis, from 16 to 21 August 2009. It was jointly organised by the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics of the Democritus University of Thrace and the Natural History Museum of the University of Crete. Arachnologists from all over the world arrived to this little point at the north-eastern border of Greece to attend this meeting, the 25th in a series which started in 1972 in Strasburg. The arachnological meeting has passed through many countries of Europe, but this was the first time that has taken place in Greece. 90 participants, including 30 students, from 28 representative countries from all five continents and 17 accompanying persons attended this meeting. The scientific programme comprised 51 oral presentations and 34 posters from various thematic fields such as taxonomy and faunistics, phylogenetics, biogeography, phylogeography, physiology, behaviour, ecology and others. 18 papers were submitted for evaluation for the proceedings volume and of these, 11 were selected for publication after peer review by two referees each

Chronic Stress, Inflammation, and Colon Cancer: A CRH System-Driven Molecular Crosstalk.

Chronic stress is thought to be involved in the occurrence and progression of multiple diseases, via mechanisms that still remain largely unknown. Interestingly, key regulators of the stress response, such as members of the corticotropin-releasing-hormone (CRH) family of neuropeptides and receptors, are now known to be implicated in the regulation of chronic inflammation, one of the predisposing factors for oncogenesis and disease progression. However, an interrelationship between stress, inflammation, and malignancy, at least at the molecular level, still remains unclear. Here, we attempt to summarize the current knowledge that supports the inseparable link between chronic stress, inflammation, and colorectal cancer (CRC), by modulation of a cascade of molecular signaling pathways, which are under the regulation of CRH-family members expressed in the brain and periphery. The understanding of the molecular basis of the link among these processes may provide a step forward towards personalized medicine in terms of CRC diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic targeting

Circulating cell-free DNA in breast cancer: searching for hidden information towards precision medicine

Breast cancer (BC) is a leading cause of death between women. Mortality is significantly raised due to drug resistance and metastasis, while personalized treatment options are obstructed by the limitations of conventional biopsy follow-up. Lately, research is focusing on circulating biomarkers as minimally invasive choices for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment monitoring. Circulating cell-free DNA (ccfDNA) is a promising liquid biopsy biomaterial of great potential as it is thought to mirror the tumor's lifespan; however, its clinical exploitation is burdened mainly by gaps in knowledge of its biology and specific characteristics. The current review aims to gather latest findings about the nature of ccfDNA and its multiple molecular and biological characteristics in breast cancer, covering basic and translational research and giving insights about its validity in a clinical setting

Η αξιοπιστία του κατακόρυφου άλματος στην καλλιτεχνική κολύμβηση

«Μία βασική κίνηση στην καλλιτεχνική κολύμβηση (ΚΚ) εκτελείται με ένα απότομο κατακόρυφο πέταγμα-άλμα και τα δύο χέρια επάνω από το κεφάλι» (boost, FINA 2017- 2021). Τόσο σε ατομικές όσο και ομαδικές χορογραφίες, το ύψος του boost στο νερό είναι σημαντικό και θεωρείται βασικό κριτήριο αξιολόγησης. Σκοπός της έρευνας ήταν να εξεταστεί η αξιοπιστία του boost σε διαφορετικές προπονητικές συνθήκες σε αθλήτριες ΚΚ υψηλού επιπέδου. Το δείγμα αποτελείται από 12 αθλήτριες ΚΚ, ηλικίας 20±5 ετών, με προπονητική εμπειρία 10±5 έτη. Οι δοκιμασίες της έρευνας περιλάμβαναν τρία boost με ενδιάμεσο διάλειμμα δέκα δευτερολέπτων, πριν και μετά από χορογραφία διάρκειας τεσσάρων λεπτών η οποία επαναλήφθηκε τέσσερις φορές με διάλλειμα δύο λεπτά ανάμεσα σε κάθε τετράλεπτο (4x4 min). Σκοπός ήταν η εξέταση της αξιοπιστίας των πεταγμάτων σε συνθήκες έντασης και ηρεμίας αντίστοιχα. Υπήρξε βιντεοσκόπηση των πεταγμάτων με κάμερα (Fs= 60Hz, Casio Ex-F1, Japan) που τοποθετήθηκε σταθερά απέναντι από τις αθλήτριες. Δύο ανεξάρτητοι κριτές υπολόγισαν το ύψος του boost, με τη βοήθεια του προγράμματος ανάλυσης εικόνας Kinovea (KINOVEA-manual 09). Χρησιμοποιήθηκαν Ttest για εξαρτημένα δείγματα καθώς και ο συντελεστής συσχέτισης r Pearson με σκοπό την εξέταση στη μεταβολή τους ύψους των πεταγμάτων. Επιπλέον, χρησιμοποιήθηκε ανάλυση διακύμανσης για να εξεταστεί η μεταβολή στο ύψος μεταξύ των πεταγμάτων πριν και μετά τη χορογραφία. Τα πετάγματα πριν, παρουσίασαν σταδιακή πτώση με Μ.Ο (73,1±6,0,και 73,0±6,1) από το πρώτο μέχρι το τελευταίο παρά τις μικρές διαφορές, σε αντίθεση με τα πετάγματα μετά, τα οποία παρουσίασαν σημαντική άνοδο με Μ.Ο (70,2. ± 5,6 και 70,4±5,6) ανάμεσα στους δύο κριτές αντίστοιχα. Συμπερασματικά, δεν παρουσιάστηκαν διαφορές ανάμεσα στις τιμές των δύο κριτών για τα πετάγματα πριν και μετά τη χορογραφία. Οι μικρές πτώσεις ίσως να οφείλονται στο δείκτη κόπωσης των αθλητριών μετά τη χορογραφία, χωρίς όμως να επηρεάζουν τα αποτελέσματα αξιοπιστίας που εμφάνισαν τα πετάγματα. Λέξεις κλειδιά: Καλλιτεχνική κολύμβηση, αξιοπιστία, boost, KinoveaΟΧ

Characterisation of the differential expression of marker antigens by normal and malignant endometrial epithelium

In order to examine the production of marker proteins, a reproducible method has been established for culturing purified epithelial cells from normal and malignant endometrium. We have examined the differential expression of secretory proteins using immunohistochemistry in frozen tissue sections, immunocytochemistry in cell cultures derived from the same specimens and protein assays on the culture supernatants. Placental protein 14 (PP14) was produced by normal premenopausal epithelium but not by the post-menopausal or malignant endometrial epithelium. In contrast, placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP) was produced by endometrial cancers and the endometrial adenocarcinoma-derived cell line Ishikawa, but not by the normal endometrial epithelium. Other markers such as CA-125, which was produced by both normal and malignant endometrium but not by the cell line, and human chorionic gonadotrophin (beta-hCG), which was produced by Ishikawa cells but not by any of the fresh tissues, were less cancer specific. Placental alkaline phosphatase is a direct product of endometrial cancers that can be readily assayed in serum using this two-site assay to test its clinical usefulness in monitoring patients at risk for endometrial cancer

Automated machine learning optimizes and accelerates predictive modeling from COVID-19 high throughput datasets

COVID-19 outbreak brings intense pressure on healthcare systems, with an urgent demand for effective diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic procedures. Here, we employed Automated Machine Learning (AutoML) to analyze three publicly available high throughput COVID-19 datasets, including proteomic, metabolomic and transcriptomic measurements. Pathway analysis of the selected features was also performed. Analysis of a combined proteomic and metabolomic dataset led to 10 equivalent signatures of two features each, with AUC 0.840 (CI 0.723–0.941) in discriminating severe from non-severe COVID-19 patients. A transcriptomic dataset led to two equivalent signatures of eight features each, with AUC 0.914 (CI 0.865–0.955) in identifying COVID-19 patients from those with a different acute respiratory illness. Another transcriptomic dataset led to two equivalent signatures of nine features each, with AUC 0.967 (CI 0.899–0.996) in identifying COVID-19 patients from virus-free individuals. Signature predictive performance remained high upon validation. Multiple new features emerged and pathway analysis revealed biological relevance by implication in Viral mRNA Translation, Interferon gamma signaling and Innate Immune System pathways. In conclusion, AutoML analysis led to multiple biosignatures of high predictive performance, with reduced features and large choice of alternative predictors. These favorable characteristics are eminent for development of cost-effective assays to contribute to better disease management

Inhaled chemotherapy in lung cancer: future concept of nanomedicine

Regional chemotherapy was first used for lung cancer 30 years ago. Since then, new methods of drug delivery and pharmaceuticals have been investigated in vitro, and in animals and humans. An extensive review of drug delivery systems, pharmaceuticals, patient monitoring, methods of enhancing inhaled drug deposition, safety and efficacy, and also additional applications of inhaled chemotherapy and its advantages and disadvantages are presented. Regional chemotherapy to the lung parenchyma for lung cancer is feasible and efficient. Safety depends on the chemotherapy agent delivered to the lungs and is dose-dependent and time-dependent. Further evaluation is needed to provide data regarding early lung cancer stages, and whether regional chemotherapy can be used as neoadjuvant or adjuvant treatment. Finally, inhaled chemotherapy could one day be administered at home with fewer systemic adverse effects