Evaluation of autonomic imbalance in patients with heart failure: A preliminary study of pupillomotor function

Background: Purpose of this study was to examine pupil size changes and mobility in normal subjects and in heart failure (HF) patients. Methods: Sixteen stable patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II or III heart failure and sixteen control subjects were studied. Pupillary reaction to light was recorded and nine parameters from this data were measured, reported and then compared in both groups of subjects. Results: Patients with HF had abnormal pupillary function compared with normal subjects. Pupillary light reflex variables differed significantly between two groups (p < 0.05) except baseline radius (R1), minimum radius (R2) and time for maximum constriction (T3). A significant decrease in maximum constriction velocity (VCmax; p < 0.001) and maximum constriction acceleration (ACmax; p < 0.001) was observed in HF subjects. Furthermore, significantly higher values in percentage recovery-redilatation (%R; p < 0.001), percentage R2/R1 (%R2/R1; p < 0.05), latency (T1; p < 0.05) and time for maximum velocity (T2; p < 0.05) were found in the same group. Conclusions: Of the parameters studied, R1 and %R are governed mainly by the action of the sympathetic nervous system, through norepinephrine. The rest are governed mainly by parasympathetic nervous system, through acetylcholine. The results of our study demonstrate generalized adrenergic activation and parasympathetic withdrawal, which are present in HF. (Cardiol J 2010; 17, 1: 65-72

Space-based Deformation Monitoring of Coastal Urban Areas: The Case of Limassol’s Coastal Front

In the last five years, the urban development of Limassol City has rapidly increased in the sectors of industry, trade, real estate, and many others. This exponentially increased urban development introduces several concerns about the aggravation of the land subsidence in the Limassol coastal front. Fifty Copernicus Sentinel-1 data from 2017-2021 have been processed and analyzed using the Sentinel Application Platform (SNAP) and the Stanford Method for Persistent Scatters (StaMPS). A case study for the identification and analysis of the elements (PS) in pixels in a series of interferograms, and then, the quantity of the land displacements in the Line of Sight, in the Limassol coastal front, is presented in this research, with the subsidence rates up to about (-5 to 4 mm/year). For the validation of the detected deformation, accurate ground-based geodetic measurements along the coastal area were used. Concordantly, taking into account that there are a significant number of skyscrapers planned to be built, this study attempts a preliminary assessment of the impact these structures will pose on the coastal front of the area of Limassol

Space-Based Displacement Monitoring of Coastal Urban Areas: The Case of Limassol’s Coastal Front

In the last five years, the urban development of the city of Limassol has rapidly increased in the sectors of industry, trade, real estate, and many others. This exponentially increased urban development arises several concerns about the aggravation of potential land subsidence in the Limassol coastal front. Forty six Copernicus Sentinel-1 acquisitions from 2017 to 2021 have been processed and analyzed using the Sentinel Application Platform (SNAP) and the Stanford Method for Persistent Scatterers (StaMPS). A case study for the identification and analysis of the persistent scatterers (PS) in pixels in a series of interferograms and the quantity of the land displacements in the line of sight of the Limassol coastal front is presented in this research, with subsidence rates up to about (−5 to 4 mm/year). For the validation of the detected deformation, accurate ground-based geodetic measurements along the coastal area were used. Concordantly, considering that there is a significant number of skyscrapers planned or currently under construction, this study attempts a preliminary assessment of the impact these structures will pose on the coastal front of the area of Limasso

Cognitive impairment as a central cholinergic deficit in patients with Myasthenia Gravis

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate with neurophysiological and neuropsychological methods such as pupillometry, cognitive test and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) the hypothesis of Central Nervous System (CNS) cholinergic involvement in patients with Myasthenia Gravis (MG). Methods: Thirty-two patients (32) with MG and a mean age of 51.1 ± 17.2 volunteered to participate in this investigation, while thirty-three (33) healthy subjects with a mean age of 50.2 ± 14.8 served as controls. All subjects underwent pupillometric measurements and performed the Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS) and HAM-D. The pupillometric indices studied were: 1) latency for the onset of constriction (T1), 2) maximum constriction velocity (VCmax) and 3) maximum constriction acceleration (ACmax). Results: T1 was found significantly increased by 21.7% (p < 0.05) in MG patients as compared to healthy subjects. Conversely, VCmax and ACmax were significantly decreased in MG patients by 33.3% (p < 0.05) and 43.5% (p < 0.05) respectively, as opposed to healthy subjects. Additionally, MG patients showed significantly decreased score in WMS by 41.6% (p < 0.05) as compared to healthy controls. No significant difference was found for HAM-D between the two groups. Conclusions: VCmax and ACmax are governed mainly by the action of the Parasympathetic Nervous System, through acetylcholine. The results of this study demonstrate that the CNS may be affected in MG and support the hypothesis that MG has central cholinergic effects manifested by cognitive dysfunction

Considerations and Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis for the Installation of Collocated Permanent GNSS and SAR Infrastructures for Continuous Space-Based Monitoring of Natural Hazards

Over the past few decades, the global population and the built environment’s vulnerabil-ity to natural hazards have risen dramatically. As a result, decisive actions, such as the SENDAI framework, have emerged to foster a global culture of successful disaster risk reduction policies, including actions to mitigate the social and economic impact of geohazards. The effective study of natural disasters requires meticulous and precise monitoring of their triggering factors, with ground-and space-based techniques. The integration of GNSS and SAR observations through the establishment of permanent infrastructures, i.e., Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS) networks and arrays of Corner Reflectors (CRs), may form a seamless ground displacement monitoring system. The current research literature provides fragmented guidelines, regarding the co-location of SAR and GNSS permanent infrastructures. Furthermore, there exist no guidelines for the determination of the most suitable locations using a holistic approach, in terms of criteria and re-quired data. The purpose of this paper is to present a semi-automatic multicriteria site suitability analysis and evaluation of candidate sites for the installation of a permanent CORS and two CRs; one for each pass, taking into account various parameters and criteria. The first results demonstrate that the collocation of SAR and GNSS permanent infrastructures, utilizing a holistic criteria-based approach, is successful and complies with all the literature’s requirements

Initial Validation Results from the Integrated Use of Permanent GNSS Stations and SAR Corner Reflectors in Cyprus by means of the CyCLOPS Strategic Research Infrastructure

The Cyprus Continuously Operating Natural Hazards Monitoring and Prevention System, abbreviated CyCLOPS, is a national strategic research infrastructure unit, with main objective the systematic study of geohazards in Cyprus and the broader EMMENA region. The project was coordinated by Cyprus University of Technology in collaboration with the German Aerospace Center (DLR), and holds the support of the critical national stakeholders, such as the Geological Survey Department and the Department of Lands and Surveys. CyCLOPS is comprised of two main components; (a) a multi-parametric network of sensors (MPN) established throughout the government-controlled areas of Cyprus and (b) an Operation Centre (OC). The MPN is comprised by a permanent and a mobile segment, which is deployed at areas of interest. The permanent segment includes six permanent sites, each of which contains a Tier-1 GNSS reference station co-located with two calibration-grade triangular trihedral corner reflectors of 1.5m inner length to account for both the ascending and descending tracks of SAR satellite missions, such as ESA’s Sentinel-1. Furthermore, the GNSS equipment is co-located with precise weather stations and tiltmeters. The mounting considerations for the permanent segment are aligned with the most stringent specifications, as outlined by UNAVCO, IGS and EPN. Therefore, besides its zero-order geodetic nature, the unit aims to become a calibration and validation (Cal/Val) infrastructure for current and future SAR satellites constellations. The mobile segment is comprised by the same grade of GNSS equipment, hosted on a specifically designed mobile configuration, which enables flexibility in the deployment of the stations, even at harsh environments, to monitor dynamic phenomena, such as landslides. Furthermore, the mobile segment includes electronic corner reflectors (ECRs), which are, again, co-located with the GNSS sensors, weather stations and tiltmeters. CyCLOPS achieved full operational capacity in June 2021. Since then, it continuously monitors the geodynamic regime of the southeastern Mediterranean area along with several active landslides occurring at the western part of the island. Consequently, the objective of this research is to deliver a brief presentation of the infrastructure, the first experience after 1.5 years of system operation, and outline results from the analysis of SAR products using our Corner Reflectors. The latter can be carried out, for instance, by means of the SAR Calibration Tool (SCT), developed by Aresys Srl, to estimate accurate geometric and radiometric calibration for Sentinel-1 products over Cyprus. Radiometric calibration will be assessed by means of a Point-Target-Analysis (PTA) on the SLCs to estimate parameters such as peak signal power, clutter power and RCS. The now almost 2 year long dataset will be analysed in full in order to verify the temporal stability of the network and to identify, for instance, drops in accuracy due to collection of precipitation in the CRs. The geometric or geolocation accuracy will be assessed, taking into account the effects of propagation delay of the SAR signal through the troposphere and ionosphere, and geodynamical effects which influence the previously determined, e.g. through surveying, CR position such as the coordinate reference frame and solid earth tides

TEOS modified with nano-calcium oxalate and PDMS to protect concrete based cultural heritage buildings

Cultural Heritage constructions of twentieth century consist largely of mortar and concrete substrates. These concrete structures have suffered different types of decay processes. One of the most widely used consolidants is the Tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), which forms the basis of most existing commercial strengthening agents to protect porous building materials against deterioration. A novel, non-toxic strengthening and protective agent for mortar and concrete substrates was synthesized in a one-pot sol-gel procedure, incorporating in TEOS, Polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS), and nanoparticles of synthesized calcium oxalate (CaOx). PDMS provided hydrophobicity and reduced surface tension that causes cracks on the surface of produced xerogel. The synthesized nanocomposite both in sol and xerogel form was assessed with a variety of analytical techniques (FTIR, XRF, SEM, Optical Microscopy, Dynamic Light Scattering, Thermogravimetric analysis). The excellent physical properties of the produced colloidal solution of the nanocomposite, such as low viscosity and density, allow a penetration up to 2 cm from the surface in the treated cement mortars. This involved improvement of the mechanical and physical properties, such as the dynamic modulus of elasticity and increased water repellency. The treated cement mortars exhibited well-preserved aesthetic surface parameters and significant maintenance of the treatment. Furthermore, no harmful byproducts were identified indicating the nanocomposite compatibility to the siliceous and carbonate nature of the treated cement mortars.This work has been supported by the InnovaConcrete project funded by the European program Horizon 2020 (GA no. 760858).Peer reviewe

CyCLOPS: A National Integrated GNSS/InSAR Strategic Research Infrastructure for Monitoring Geohazards and Forming the Next Generation Datum of the Republic of Cyprus

The objective of this paper is to introduce CyCLOPS, a novel strategic research infrastructure unit, and present its current progress of implementation, and integration in the National geodetic, geophysical and geotechnical infrastructure of the government-controlled areas of the Republic of Cyprus. CyCLOPS is co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund and the Republic of Cyprus through the Research and Innovation Foundation under the grant agreement RIF/INFRASTRUCTURES/1216/0050. CyCLOPS is developed via the collaboration of the Cyprus University of Technology (CUT) and the German Aerospace Center (DLR), and supported by the Cyprus Geological Survey Department and the Department of Lands and Surveys. The main objective of CyCLOPS is to establish an integrated infrastructure for space-based monitoring of geohazards using the most prominent earth observation technologies (EO), such as GNSS and InSAR. Furthermore, the infrastructure will densify and form the backbone for the definition of the next generation national datum of the Republic of Cyprus. Eleven Tier-1/2 state-of-the-art GNSS CORS, precise weather stations, tiltmeters and specifically designed InSAR triangular trihedral corner reflectors will be deployed, in a collocated fashion, at selected locations throughout the government-controlled areas of Cyprus. The collocated configuration will be established and installed to be compliant with the most stringent CORS monumentation specifications, support all current GNSS constellations and SAR missions. Finally, one of CyCLOPS’ fundamental aims is to actively contribute to the on-going efforts and growing demand for more precise positioning services and high-quality modern reference frames, in conformity with the recommendations of the UN-GGIM (and its Subcommittee of Geodesy) to establish and enhance national geodetic infrastructures to support the sustainable management of geospatial information on the changing Earth