Greek Orthodox iconography from a historical and cultural perspective

This paper will examine the historical events that made an impact on Greek Orthodox Iconography including the Iconoclastic period, and its acceptance into the Greek Orthodox community during the Byzantine period. As well as looking at the dogmatic meaning of the “icon” in the Greek Orthodox community, I will evaluate through the interview results collected from the youth, elderly and priests of the Greek Orthodox community of South Australia whether the initial dogmatic purpose of the “icon” is understood and upheld by the community of today

VEGF is indirectly associated with NO production

Background? Increased levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) have been observed in patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS). Nitric oxide (NO) formation is reduced in MetS, but its relationship to VEGF production remains poorly defined. We evaluated the association between VEGF/NO synthesis and insulin sensitivity in obese subjects and investigated the secretory response of VEGF to an acute elevation of glucose.Materials and methods? Seven healthy normal-weight subjects, seven obese subjects without MetS and seven obese subjects with MetS were recruited. Anthropometry, body composition and cardiometabolic functions (blood pressure, glucose, insulin, triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL-C and VEGF) were measured, and a novel stable isotope method was used to assess in vivo rates of NO production. A frequent sampling intravenous glucose tolerance test was performed to study the dynamics of VEGF release.Results? Fasting VEGF levels were significantly higher in the two obese groups compared to the control group (P for trend = 0·02), but the difference was not significant after adjustment for age. Vascular endothelial growth factor levels were associated with systolic blood pressure (? = 0·54; P = 0·01) and NO production (? = ?0·44; P = 0·04). Vascular endothelial growth factor levels increased in response to acute hyperglycaemia in normal-weight and obese subjects (P < 0·001).Conclusions? Vascular endothelial growth factor levels rapidly increase during hyperglycaemia and are inversely related to NO production at steady state. The potential link between the acute secretion of VEGF and atherosclerotic risk in subjects with poorly controlled glycaemia as well as the potential of lowering elevated VEGF levels by increasing NO production and/or availability warrants further investigation

Mechanisms involved in the development and healing of diabetic foot ulceration

We examined the role of vascular function and inflammation in the development and failure to heal diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs). We followed 104 diabetic patients for a period of 18.4 \ub1 10.8 months. At the beginning of the study, we evaluated vascular reactivity and serum inflammatory cytokines and growth factors. DFUs developed in 30 (29%) patients. DFU patients had more severe neuropathy, higher white blood cell count, and lower endothelium-dependent and -independent vasodilation in the macrocirculation. Complete ulcer healing was achieved in 16 (53%) patients, whereas 13 (47%) patients did not heal. There were no differences in the above parameters between the two groups, but patients whose ulcers failed to heal had higher tumor necrosis factor-\u3b1, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9), and fibroblast growth factor 2 serum levels when compared with those who healed. Skin biopsy analysis showed that compared with control subjects, diabetic patients had increased immune cell infiltration, expression of MMP-9, and protein tyrosine phosphatase-1B (PTP1B), which negatively regulates the signaling of insulin, leptin, and growth factors. We conclude that increased inflammation, expression of MMP-9, PTP1B, and aberrant growth factor levels are the main factors associated with failure to heal DFUs. Targeting these factors may prove helpful in the management of DFUs

Management of diabetic foot ulcers

Diabetic foot is a serious complication of diabetes which aggravates the patient's condition whilst also having significant socioeconomic impact. The aim of the present review is to summarize the causes and pathogenetic mechanisms leading to diabetic foot, and to focus on the management of this important health issue. Increasing physicians' awareness and hence their ability to identify the "foot at risk," along with proper foot care, may prevent diabetic foot ulceration and thus reduce the risk of amputation

Mechanisms Involved in the Development and Healing of Diabetic Foot Ulceration

We examined the role of vascular function and inflammation in the development and failure to heal diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs). We followed 104 diabetic patients for a period of 18.4 ± 10.8 months. At the beginning of the study, we evaluated vascular reactivity and serum inflammatory cytokines and growth factors. DFUs developed in 30 (29%) patients. DFU patients had more severe neuropathy, higher white blood cell count, and lower endothelium-dependent and -independent vasodilation in the macrocirculation. Complete ulcer healing was achieved in 16 (53%) patients, whereas 13 (47%) patients did not heal. There were no differences in the above parameters between the two groups, but patients whose ulcers failed to heal had higher tumor necrosis factor-α, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9), and fibroblast growth factor 2 serum levels when compared with those who healed. Skin biopsy analysis showed that compared with control subjects, diabetic patients had increased immune cell infiltration, expression of MMP-9, and protein tyrosine phosphatase-1B (PTP1B), which negatively regulates the signaling of insulin, leptin, and growth factors. We conclude that increased inflammation, expression of MMP-9, PTP1B, and aberrant growth factor levels are the main factors associated with failure to heal DFUs. Targeting these factors may prove helpful in the management of DFUs

Phantom thermodynamics

This paper deals with the thermodynamic properties of a phantom field in a flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker universe. General expressions for the temperature and entropy of a general dark-energy field with equation of state $p=\omega\rho$ are derived from which we have deduced that, whereas the temperature of a cosmic phantom fluid ($\omega<-1$) is definite negative, its entropy is always positive. We interpret that result in terms of the intrinsic quantum nature of the phantom field and apply it to (i) attain a consistent explanation for some recent results concerning the evolution of black holes which,induced by accreting phantom energy, gradually loss their mass to finally vanish exactly at the big rip, and (ii) introduce the concept of cosmological information and its relation with life and the anthropic principle. Some quantum statistical-thermodynamic properties of the quantum quantum field are also considered that include a generalized Wien law and the prediction of some novel phenomena such as the stimulated absorption of phantom energy and the anti-laser effect.Comment: 19 pages, LaTex, 2 figures, accepted for publication in Nuclear Physics

Linagliptin: from bench to bedside

John DoupisIatriko Palaiou Falirou Medical Center, Division of Diabetes, Athens, GreecePurpose: The nature of biomedical research affords a broad range of investigational topics at the preclinical stage, not all of which may be explored in subsequent clinical studies. To provide a comprehensive perspective on the physiologic effects of the dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor linagliptin, this review will discuss the results of both preclinical and clinical research, summarizing data describing outcomes associated with its use.Summary: Clinical studies demonstrate an overall favorable safety profile, low risk for hypoglycemia, weight neutrality, primarily nonrenal clearance, and efficacy for glycosylated hemoglobin reduction, typically ranging from 0.6% to 0.8% depending on baseline levels. In addition to these characteristics, preclinical research on linagliptin has yielded several interesting findings such as improved wound healing, reduced hepatic fat content, decreased infarct size following myocardial infarction or intracranial stroke, and improved vascular function with decreased oxidative stress. In accordance with its preclinical profile, linagliptin is unique among available dipeptidyl peptidase-4 compounds because it does not require dose adjustment when used in patients with renal dysfunction. Reduction of albuminuria with linagliptin on top of inhibitors of the renin&ndash;angiotensin&ndash;aldosterone system in both preclinical and post hoc clinical analysis serves as the foundation for ongoing clinical trials.Conclusion: In addition to its efficacy for glycemic control, current literature points to other potential opportunities associated with linagliptin therapy. These results warrant further investigation and underscore the importance of translational study based on findings from preclinical research. Moving forward, we can expect that future research on linagliptin and other incretin-based therapies will continue to expand their applications beyond the maintenance of glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes.Keywords: dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor, linagliptin, type 2 diabete

Wormholes and Ringholes in a Dark-Energy Universe

The effects that the present accelerating expansion of the universe has on the size and shape of Lorentzian wormholes and ringholes are considered. It is shown that, quite similarly to how it occurs for inflating wormholes, relative to the initial embedding-space coordinate system, whereas the shape of the considered holes is always preserved with time, their size is driven by the expansion to increase by a factor which is proportional to the scale factor of the universe. In the case that dark energy is phantom energy, which is not excluded by present constraints on the dark-energy equation of state, that size increase with time becomes quite more remarkable, and a rather speculative scenario is here presented where the big rip can be circumvented by future advanced civilizations by utilizing sufficiently grown up wormholes and ringholes as time machines that shortcut the big-rip singularity.Comment: 11 pages, RevTex, to appear in Phys. Rev.

The metabolic syndrome and neuropathy: Therapeutic challenges and opportunities

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/110888/1/ana23986.pd

Management options influence seasonal CO2 soil emissions in Mediterranean olive ecosystems

Field trials were conducted at traditional Mediterranean olive agro-ecosystems grown at two locations (Italy –IT, Greece –GR). Groves were managed for many years using sustainable (S, cover crops, compost application, mulching of pruning biomass) or conventional (C) practices (e.g., soil tillage, burning of pruning residuals). The IT grove was rainfed (RAIN) while the GR was irrigated (IRR). This study examined the seasonal variation of soil CO2 emission (Rs) to explore the effect of the management options (C, S) on Rs at both sites. The second aim was to test the hypothesis that the seasonal Rs is differentially modulated by soil temperature and moisture, namely that (i) soil moisture limits Rs when it is below the lower limit of the readily available water (RAWLLim) and (ii) soil temperature above a threshold (max_T) reduces Rs even if soil moisture is non limiting. On the whole-season basis, the mean Rs rate at the rainfed site was 2.17 ± 0.06 (SE) at CRAIN and 2.32 ± 0.06 μmol CO2 m−2 s–1 at SRAIN plot, while at the irrigated site Rs was about 3.64 ± 0.11 (CIRR) and 4.05 ± 0.15 μmol CO2 m−2 s–1 (SIRR). The seasonal oscillation of Rs was consistent across locations and partitionable in three periods according to DOY (Day of Year) interval: Phase I (DOY 20–103 –GR; 20–118 -IT), Phase II (DOY 141÷257, GR; 142–257, IT) and Phase III (DOY 291–357, GR; 286–350, -IT). Pooling all the Rs data across sites and managements, max_T was ∼ 20 °C discriminating a differential response of Rs when soil moisture was &lt; or &gt; RAWLLim. These differential modulations exerted by temperature and moisture were integrated into a conditional model developed with a repeated random subsampling cross-validation procedure to effectively (R2 = 0.84) predict Rs. This paper mechanistically describes the interaction of the environment (soil moisture and temperature) and the management options (S, C) under various moisture conditions on Rs and would support carbon flux accounting procedures (e.g., regulating ecosystem services) tailored to the estimation of sink/source capability of traditional olive agro-ecosystem within environmental-friendly agricultural domains