The role of form in morphological priming: evidence from bilinguals

This article explores how bilinguals perform automatic morphological decomposition processes, focusing on within- and cross-language masked morphological priming effects. In Experiment 1, unbalanced Spanish (L1) – English (L2) bilingual participants completed a lexical decision task on English targets that could be preceded by morphologically related or unrelated derived masked English and Spanish prime words. The cognate status of the masked Spanish primes was manipulated, in order to explore to what extent form overlap mediates cross-language morphological priming. In Experiment 2, a group of balanced native Basque-Spanish speakers completed a lexical decision task on Spanish targets preceded by morphologically related or unrelated Basque or Spanish masked primes. In this experiment, a large number of items was tested and the cognate status was manipulated according to a continuous measure of orthographic overlap, allowing for a fine-grained analysis of the role of form overlap in cross-language morphological priming. Results demonstrated the existence of between- language masked morphological priming, which was exclusively found for cognate prime-target pairs. Furthermore, the results from balanced and unbalanced bilinguals were highly similar showing that proficiency in the two languages at test does not seem to modulate the pattern of data. These results are correctly accounted for by mechanisms of early morpho-orthographic decomposition that do not necessarily imply an automatic translation of the prime. In contrast, other competing accounts that are based on translation processes do not seem able to capture the present results

Subtitle-Based Word Frequencies as the Best Estimate of Reading Behavior: The Case of Greek

Previous evidence has shown that word frequencies calculated from corpora based on film and television subtitles can readily account for reading performance, since the language used in subtitles greatly approximates everyday language. The present study examines this issue in a society with increased exposure to subtitle reading. We compiled SUBTLEX-GR, a subtitled-based corpus consisting of more than 27 million Modern Greek words, and tested to what extent subtitle-based frequency estimates and those taken from a written corpus of Modern Greek account for the lexical decision performance of young Greek adults who are exposed to subtitle reading on a daily basis. Results showed that SUBTLEX-GR frequency estimates effectively accounted for participants’ reading performance in two different visual word recognition experiments. More importantly, different analyses showed that frequencies estimated from a subtitle corpus explained the obtained results significantly better than traditional frequencies derived from written corpora

Validation of Sentinel-5P TROPOMI tropospheric NO2 products by comparison with NO2 measurements from airborne imaging, ground-based stationary, and mobile car DOAS measurements during the S5P-VAL-DE-Ruhr campaign

Airborne imaging differential optical absorption spectroscopy (DOAS), ground-based stationary and car DOAS measurements were conducted during the S5P-VAL-DE-Ruhr campaign in September 2020. The campaign area is located in the Rhine-Ruhr region of North Rhine-Westphalia, Western Germany, which is a pollution hotspot in Europe comprising urban and large industrial emitters. The measurements are used to validate space-borne NO2 tropospheric vertical column density data products from the Sentinel-5 Precursor (S5P) TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI). Seven flights were performed with the airborne imaging DOAS instrument for measurements of atmospheric pollution (AirMAP), providing measurements which were used to create continuous maps of NO2 in the layer below the aircraft. These flights cover many S5P ground pixels within an area of 30 km x 35 km and were accompanied by ground-based stationary measurements and three mobile car DOAS instruments. Stationary measurements were conducted by two Pandora, two zenith-sky and two MAX-DOAS instruments distributed over three target areas. Ground-based stationary and car DOAS measurements are used to evaluate the AirMAP tropospheric NO2 vertical column densities and show high Pearson correlation coefficients of 0.87 and 0.89 and slopes of 0.93 &plusmn; 0.09 and 0.98 &plusmn; 0.02 for the stationary and car DOAS, respectively. Having a spatial resolution of about 100 m x 30 m, the AirMAP tropospheric NO2 vertical column density (VCD) data creates a link between the ground-based and the TROPOMI measurements with a resolution of 3.5 km x 5.5 km and is therefore well suited to validate the TROPOMI tropospheric NO2 VCD. The measurements on the seven flight days show strong NO2 variability, which is dependent on the different target areas, the weekday, and the meteorological conditions. The AirMAP campaign dataset is compared to the TROPOMI NO2 operational off-line (OFFL) V01.03.02 data product, the reprocessed NO2 data, using the V02.03.01 of the official L2 processor, provided by the Product Algorithm Laboratory (PAL), and several scientific TROPOMI NO2 data products. The TROPOMI data products and the AirMAP data are highly correlated with correlation coefficients between 0.72 and 0.87, and slopes of 0.38 &plusmn; 0.02 to 1.02 &plusmn; 0.07. On average, TROPOMI tropospheric NO2 VCDs are lower than the AirMAP NO2 results. The slope increased from 0.38 &plusmn; 0.02 for the operational OFFL V01.03.02 product to 0.83 &plusmn; 0.06 after the improvements in the retrieval of the PAL V02.03.01 product were implemented. Different auxiliary data, such as spatially higher resolved a priori NO2 vertical profiles, surface reflectivity and the cloud treatment, are investigated using scientific TROPOMI tropospheric NO2 VCD data products to evaluate their impact on the operational TROPOMI NO2 VCD data product. The comparison of the AirMAP campaign dataset to the scientific data products shows that the choice of surface reflectivity data base has a minor impact on the tropospheric NO2 VCD retrieval in the campaign region and season. In comparison, the replacement of the a priori NO2 profile in combination with the improvements in the retrieval of the PAL V02.03.01 product regarding cloud heights has a major impact on the tropospheric NO2 VCD retrieval and increases the slope from 0.88 &plusmn; 0.06 to 1.00 &plusmn; 0.07. This study demonstrates that the underestimation of the TROPOMI tropospheric NO2 VCD product with respect to the validation dataset has been and can be further significantly improved.</p

EPIdemiology of Surgery-Associated Acute Kidney Injury (EPIS-AKI) : Study protocol for a multicentre, observational trial

More than 300 million surgical procedures are performed each year. Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication after major surgery and is associated with adverse short-term and long-term outcomes. However, there is a large variation in the incidence of reported AKI rates. The establishment of an accurate epidemiology of surgery-associated AKI is important for healthcare policy, quality initiatives, clinical trials, as well as for improving guidelines. The objective of the Epidemiology of Surgery-associated Acute Kidney Injury (EPIS-AKI) trial is to prospectively evaluate the epidemiology of AKI after major surgery using the latest Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) consensus definition of AKI. EPIS-AKI is an international prospective, observational, multicentre cohort study including 10 000 patients undergoing major surgery who are subsequently admitted to the ICU or a similar high dependency unit. The primary endpoint is the incidence of AKI within 72 hours after surgery according to the KDIGO criteria. Secondary endpoints include use of renal replacement therapy (RRT), mortality during ICU and hospital stay, length of ICU and hospital stay and major adverse kidney events (combined endpoint consisting of persistent renal dysfunction, RRT and mortality) at day 90. Further, we will evaluate preoperative and intraoperative risk factors affecting the incidence of postoperative AKI. In an add-on analysis, we will assess urinary biomarkers for early detection of AKI. EPIS-AKI has been approved by the leading Ethics Committee of the Medical Council North Rhine-Westphalia, of the Westphalian Wilhelms-University Münster and the corresponding Ethics Committee at each participating site. Results will be disseminated widely and published in peer-reviewed journals, presented at conferences and used to design further AKI-related trials. Trial registration number NCT04165369

Διαχρονική αποτύπωση των χαρακτηριστικών ενεργών χρηστών ναρκωτικών που προσέρχονται για πρώτη φορά σε υπηρεσία άμεσης πρόσβασης και δεν αιτούνται θεραπεία

Υπόβαθρο: Το 2011-2013 σημειώθηκε επιδημία HIV λοίμωξης σε χρήστες ενδοφλεβίων ναρκωτικών στην Αθήνα. Η αξιολόγηση των χαρακτηριστικών των χρηστών που προσεγγίζουν υπηρεσίες άμεσης πρόσβασης, χωρίς αίτημα για θεραπεία, δεν έχει υλοποιηθεί στο παρελθόν και είναι δυνητικά χρήσιμη στην κατανόηση της επιδημίας και στη μετέπειτα παρακολούθησή της. Σκοπός: Περιγραφή των χαρακτηριστικών των χρηστών ουσιών που προσέρχονται για πρώτη φορά σε Υπηρεσία Άμεσης Πρόσβασης (του Οργανισμού Κατά των Ναρκωτικών-Ο.ΚΑ.ΝΑ) στην Αθήνα και αξιολόγηση μεταβολών πριν, κατά τη διάρκεια και μετά την επιδημία HIV. Υλικό-Μέθοδος: Χρήστες που προσήλθαν στο Σταθμό Φροντίδας Εξαρτημένων Ατόμων του Ο.ΚΑ.ΝΑ τα έτη 2010 (Ν=109), 2012 (Ν=99) και 2016/17 (Ν=134). Στην πρώτη επαφή, συμπληρώνεται ερωτηματολόγιο μέσω συνέντευξης. Τα χαρακτηριστικά των συμμετεχόντων περιγράφηκαν με κατάλληλα μέτρα θέσης/διασποράς ή ποσοστά. Για τη διερεύνηση διαχρονικών μεταβολών χρησιμοποιήθηκαν οι μέθοδοι X2, ANOVA και Kruskall-Wallis. Αποτελέσματα: To 2010, 54.1% των χρηστών ανέφερε απουσία στέγης και 28.4% δεν ήταν ελληνικής εθνικότητας. Η πλειονότητα ανέφερε καθημερινή χρήση (93.6%) και κύρια ουσία χρήσης την ηρωίνη (94.5%). Διαχρονικά, παρατηρήθηκε μείωση στους χρήστες άλλης εθνικότητας (28.4%, 23.2% και 14.2% τα έτη 2010, 2012 και 2016/17, αντίστοιχα, p=0.023). Συγκριτικά με το 2010, το ποσοστό των αστέγων μειώθηκε το 2012 (από 54.1% σε 34.3%, p=0.004) αλλά αυξήθηκε ξανά το 2016/17 (από 34.3% σε 47.0%, p=0.054). Τα έτη 2010, 2012 και 2016/17, παρατηρήθηκε μείωση στο ποσοστό που ανέφερε καθημερινή χρήση ουσιών (93.6%, 75.8%, 81.1%, p=0.002) και ηρωίνη ως κύρια ουσία χρήσης (94.5%, 78.8%, 79.1%, p=0.001). Αύξηση παρατηρήθηκε στο ποσοστό των χρηστών που αναφέρει ψυχιατρικά προβλήματα (20.2%, 38.4% και 45.5%, p&lt;0.001) και HIV λοίμωξη (0%, 11.8% και 14.4%, p=0.001). Συμπεράσματα: Πριν την επιδημία HIV, υψηλό ποσοστό χρηστών άνηκε σε ευάλωτους πληθυσμούς (μετανάστες, άστεγοι) και ανέφερε καθημερινή χρήση ουσιών. Διαχρονικά μειώθηκε ο αριθμός των χρηστών άλλης εθνικότητας και η συχνότητα ενδοφλέβιας χρήσης. Το πρόβλημα της απουσίας στέγης παραμένει. Οι χρήστες που προσέρχονται σε υπηρεσίες άμεσης πρόσβασης αντικατοπτρίζουν τον πληθυσμό σε κίνδυνο για λοιμώδη νοσήματα και διαφέρουν από τους αιτούντες θεραπείας (ενδεικτικά το 2010, σε σύγκριση με στοιχεία από ΕΚΤΕΠΝ για αιτούντες θεραπείας: απουσία στέγης 54.1% έναντι 9.3%, άλλης εθνικότητας: 28.4% έναντι 6.6%). Οι ενεργοί χρήστες διαφέρουν από τους αιτούντες θεραπείας για τους οποίους υπάρχει συστηματική καταγραφή και παρακολούθηση από το 2002. Τα στοιχεία από τις υπηρεσίες άμεσης πρόσβασης αποτελούν μία πολύτιμη πηγή πληροφοριών για χρήστες που είναι ενεργοί και δεν βρίσκονται σε θεραπευτικά προγράμματα, αντανακλούν επομένως το προφίλ και τις πρακτικές του πληθυσμού αυτού. Είναι αναγκαία και απαραίτητη η παρακολούθηση των χαρακτηριστικών του συγκεκριμένου πληθυσμού καθώς και η συστηματική καταγραφή τους για τον σχεδιασμό κατάλληλων παρεμβάσεων, ενός βαριά πάσχοντος πληθυσμού που κάνει χρήση επικίνδυνων ουσιών, με υψηλό φορτίο λοιμωδών νοσημάτων, υιοθετεί συμπεριφορές υψηλού κινδύνου και διατρέχει μεγαλύτερο κίνδυνο να μολυνθεί αλλά και να μεταδώσει λοιμώδη νοσήματα. Η παρακολούθηση των χαρακτηριστικών του συγκεκριμένου πληθυσμού είναι απαραίτητη για την έγκαιρη εφαρμογή παρεμβάσεων.Objective: During 2011-2013 there was an HIV outbreak among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Athens, Greece. The evaluation of the characteristics of drug users who approach low threshold services without treatment request has not been performed in the past in Greece and it would be useful to gain insight in the causes of the HIV outbreak and for subsequent monitoring. Aim: The aim of the present study was the description of the characteristics of drug users that approach for the first time a low threshold program of the Greek Organisation Against Drugs-ΟΚΑΝΑ in Athens without treatment request and the evaluation of trends in their characteristics and risk behaviors before, during and after the HIV outbreak. Material – Methods: Drug users that visited low threshold program (OKANA) the years 2010 (n=109), 2012 (n=99) and 2016-2017 (n=134). During the first appointment, a questionnaire with general information was completed (demographic characteristics, drug use etc.). Statistical analysis was performed with the use of x2 test, ANOVA and Kruskall -Wallis. Results: In 2010, 54.1% of the sample reported homelessness and 28.4% were not of Greek nationality. The majority reported daily drug use (93.6%) while heroin was the main substance used (94.5%). Throughout the years a decrease was observed in the proportion of non-Greek drug users (28.4%, 23.2% and 14.2% the years 2010, 2012, 2016/17 respectively, p=0.023). Homelessness decreased significantly in 2012 compared to 2010 (54,1% vs 34.3%, p=0,004) but a subsequent increase was observed in 2016/17 (34% vs 47.0%, p=0.054). The years 2010, 2012 and 2016/17 the proportion reporting daily drug use significantly decreased (93.6%, 77.3%, 81.1% respectively, p=0.003) while the proportion reporting heroin as main drug substance also decreased significantly (94.5%, 78.8%, 81.1%, respectively p=0.002). However, the percent of the drug users that reported psychiatric problems (20.2%, 38.3%, 45.5%, p&lt;0.001) and HIV infection (0%, 11.8%, 14.4%, p=0.001) increased. Conclusion: Before the HIV outbreak, a high proportion of drug users belonged to vulnerable populations (refugees, homeless) and reported daily drug use. An ongoing improvement in the drug users profile was observed regarding the risk of HIV, however homelessness remains a significant problem. Drug users who approach low threshold services reflect the population at risk for infectious diseases and differ significantly from those who apply for opioid substitution treatment programs (based on data from EKTEΠΝ on people who apply for opioid substitution treatment programs in 2010, homelessness 54.1% vs 9,3%, immigrants 28,4% vs 6,6%). Active users approaching low threshold services differ from treatment applicants for whom there has been systematic monitoring and recording since 2002. Data from these services are a valuable source of information for drug users who are active and not in treatment programs, therefore reflecting the profile and practices of this population. It is necessary to monitor the characteristics of the specific population and to systematically record them as this is- a severely suffering population using hazardous substances with a high burden of infectious diseases, adopting high risk behaviors and at greater risk of being infected and of transmiting infectious diseases. Monitoring the characteristics of the population is necessary for the design and implementation of appropriate interventions

Code division multiple access and optical orthogonal code

Στην εργασία αυτή αναδιπλώνονται τα οπτικά συστήματα πολλαπλής προσπέλασης με διαίρεση κώδικα και οι κατασκευές των οπτικών ορθογώνιων κωδίκων. Συγκεκριμένα, αναλύονται αλγεβρικές κατασκευές, αναδρομικές κατασκευές, κατασκευές για κώδικες μεταβλητού βάρους.This paper folded optical systems division multiple-access with code and construction of optical orthogonal codes. Specifically, analyze algebraic constructions, recursive constructions, constructions codes of variable weight.Μαρία Ι. Δημητροπούλο