Μεθοδολογικό πλαίσιο χωρικής ανάλυσης οικιστικών συγκεντρώσεων & προσδιορισμού αστικών συστοιχιών σε περιβάλλον ΓΣΠ

103 σ.Εθνικό Μετσόβιο Πολυτεχνείο--Μεταπτυχιακή Εργασία. Διεπιστημονικό-Διατμηματικό Πρόγραμμα Μεταπτυχιακών Σπουδών (Δ.Π.Μ.Σ.) "Γεωπληροφορική"Σκοπό της παρούσας μεταπτυχιακής διπλωματικής εργασίας αποτελεί η δημιουργία ενός μεθοδολογικού πλαισίου ανάλυσης οικιστικών συγκεντρώσεων & προσδιορισμού αστικών συστοιχιών στον Ελλαδικό χώρο σε περιβάλλον ΓΣΠ. Αφού προσδιορίζεται η βασική έννοια της «αστικής συστοιχίας», κατηγοριοποιούνται οι Οργανισμοί Τοπικής Αυτοδιοίκησης (ΟΤΑ) Α’ βαθμού σε τρία επίπεδα και με τη βοήθεια μεθόδων και τεχνικών της Γεωγραφικής Ανάλυσης προσδιορίζονται οι αποστάσεις από τους γειτονικούς ΟΤΑ, ορίζονται οι ζώνες εξυπηρέτησης με βάση των οποίων υπολογίζονται οι γεωστατιστικοί δείκτες και το χωροθετικό πηλίκο, σε περιβάλλον Γεωγραφικών Συστημάτων Πληροφοριών. Ακολούθως δημιουργείται ο δείκτης συστοιχίας (Ι) για τους ΟΤΑ του μεσαίου επιπέδου με βάση τις αποστάσεις από τους γειτονικούς ΟΤΑ των άλλων επιπέδων. Στη συνέχεια με τα δεδομένα της Στατιστικής που αφορούν τους μετακινούμενους εργαζόμενους υπολογίζονται οι εισερχόμενοι, οι εξερχόμενοι, το ισοζύγιο των ροών εργαζομένων καθώς και ένας δείκτης μετακίνησης. Ακολούθως, η εφαρμογή του μεθοδολογικού πλαισίου οδηγεί στον προσδιορισμό ενός υποδείγματος συσχέτισης του δείκτη μετακίνησης με το δείκτη συστοιχίας, πληθυσμιακές και γεωμορφολογικές μεταβλητές. Τέλος, γίνεται αναφορά στα θετικά και αρνητικά σημεία της μεθοδολογίας και προτείνονται τρόποι μελλοντικής διερεύνησης και εναλλακτικής προσέγγισης του προβλήματος.The aim of present dissertation constitutes the assessment of methodological frame of analysis of urban clusters and determination of urban concentrations of Greece. Primarily the meaning of ‘urban cluster’ was defined. Aftermaths, the Local Administrative Unit (LAU1- municipalities/communities) were categorized in three levels. Different methods and techniques of Geographic Analysis were combined in environment of Geographical Information Systems (GIS). Nearest Neighbor Analysis, delimitation of service areas, Geostationary Indicators and Locational Quotient. Followingly was determined the cluster indicator of intermediate LAU1 basically to the Nearest Neighbor LAU1 of other levels. Then, concerning the commuting workers, the balance of entering and coming-out workers, as well as a commuting indicator were calculated. Moreover, the application of methodological frame leads to the determination of a model of cross- correlation of commuting indicator with cluster indicators, demographic and geomorphological variables. Finally, the positive and negative points of methodology are assessed and proposed ways of future investigation and alternative approach of problem.Σοφία Μ. Μελισσάρ

Is gluten the only culprit for non-celiac gluten/wheat sensitivity?

The gluten-free diet (GFD) has gained increasing popularity in recent years, supported by marketing campaigns, media messages and social networks. Nevertheless, real knowledge of gluten and GF-related implications for health is still poor among the general population. The GFD has also been suggested for non-celiac gluten/wheat sensitivity (NCG/WS), a clinical entity characterized by intestinal and extraintestinal symptoms induced by gluten ingestion in the absence of celiac disease (CD) or wheat allergy (WA). NCG/WS should be regarded as an “umbrella term” including a variety of different conditions where gluten is likely not the only factor responsible for triggering symptoms. Other compounds aside from gluten may be involved in the pathogenesis of NCG/WS. These include fructans, which are part of fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols (FODMAPs), amylase trypsin inhibitors (ATIs), wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) and glyphosate. The GFD might be an appropriate dietary approach for patients with self-reported gluten/wheat-dependent symptoms. A low-FODMAP diet (LFD) should be the first dietary option for patients referring symptoms more related to FODMAPs than gluten/wheat and the second-line treatment for those with self-reported gluten/wheat-related symptoms not responding to the GFD. A personalized approach, regular follow-up and the help of a skilled dietician are mandatory

Brain hemodynamic intermediate phenotype links Vitamin B12 to cognitive profile of healthy and mild cognitive impaired subjects

Vitamin B12, folate, and homocysteine are implicated in pivotal neurodegenerative mechanisms and partake in elders' mental decline. Findings on the association between vitamin-related biochemistry and cognitive abilities suggest that the structural and functional properties of the brain may represent an intermediate biomarker linking vitamin concentrations to cognition. Despite this, no previous study directly investigated whether vitamin B12, folate, and homocysteine levels are sufficient to explain individual neuropsychological profiles or, alternatively, whether the activity of brain regions modulated by these compounds better predicts cognition in elders. Here, we measured the relationship between vitamin blood concentrations, scores at seventeen neuropsychological tests, and brain activity of sixty-five elders spanning from normal to Mild Cognitive Impairment. We then evaluated whether task-related brain responses represent an intermediate phenotype, providing a better prediction of subjects' neuropsychological scores, as compared to the one obtained considering blood biochemistry only. We found that the hemodynamic activity of the right dorsal anterior cingulate cortex was positively associated (p value < 0 05 cluster corrected) with vitamin B12 concentrations, suggesting that elders with higher B12 levels had a more pronounced recruitment of this salience network region. Crucially, the activity of this area significantly predicted subjects' visual search and attention abilities (p value = 0 0023), whereas B12 levels per se failed to do so. Our results demonstrate that the relationship between blood biochemistry and elders' cognitive abilities is revealed when brain activity is included into the equation, thus highlighting the role of brain imaging as intermediate phenotype.Vitamin B12, folate, and homocysteine are implicated in pivotal neurodegenerative mechanisms and partake in elders' mental decline. Findings on the association between vitamin-related biochemistry and cognitive abilities suggest that the structural and functional properties of the brain may represent an intermediate biomarker linking vitamin concentrations to cognition. Despite this, no previous study directly investigated whether vitamin B12, folate, and homocysteine levels are sufficient to explain individual neuropsychological profiles or, alternatively, whether the activity of brain regions modulated by these compounds better predicts cognition in elders. Here, we measured the relationship between vitamin blood concentrations, scores at seventeen neuropsychological tests, and brain activity of sixty-five elders spanning from normal to Mild Cognitive Impairment. We then evaluated whether task-related brain responses represent an intermediate phenotype, providing a better prediction of subjects' neuropsychological scores, as compared to the one obtained considering blood biochemistry only. We found that the hemodynamic activity of the right dorsal anterior cingulate cortex was positively associated (p value < 0 05 cluster corrected) with vitamin B12 concentrations, suggesting that elders with higher B12 levels had a more pronounced recruitment of this salience network region. Crucially, the activity of this area significantly predicted subjects' visual search and attention abilities (p value = 0 0023), whereas B12 levels per se failed to do so. Our results demonstrate that the relationship between blood biochemistry and elders' cognitive abilities is revealed when brain activity is included into the equation, thus highlighting the role of brain imaging as intermediate phenotype

Randomized trial on the effects of a combined physical/cognitive training in aged MCI subjects: the Train the Brain study

Age-related cognitive impairment and dementia are an increasing societal burden. Epidemiological studies indicate that lifestyle factors, e.g. physical, cognitive and social activities, correlate with reduced dementia risk; moreover, positive effects on cognition of physical/cognitive training have been found in cognitively unimpaired elders. Less is known about effectiveness and action mechanisms of physical/cognitive training in elders already suffering from Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), a population at high risk for dementia. We assessed in 113 MCI subjects aged 65-89 years, the efficacy of combined physical-cognitive training on cognitive decline, Gray Matter (GM) volume loss and Cerebral Blood Flow (CBF) in hippocampus and parahippocampal areas, and on brain-blood-oxygenation-level-dependent (BOLD) activity elicited by a cognitive task, measured by ADAS-Cog scale, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Arterial Spin Labeling (ASL) and fMRI, respectively, before and after 7 months of training vs. usual life. Cognitive status significantly decreased in MCI-no training and significantly increased in MCI-training subjects; training increased parahippocampal CBF, but no effect on GM volume loss was evident; BOLD activity increase, indicative of neural efficiency decline, was found only in MCI-no training subjects. These results show that a non pharmacological, multicomponent intervention improves cognitive status and indicators of brain health in MCI subjects

Immunohistochemical and ultrastructural study of a pulmonary carcinosarcoma (biphasic sarcomatoid carcinoma) with rhabdomyoblastic differentiation

Histologic, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural features of a case of carcinosarcoma of the lung are described. The biphasic pattern of this neoplasm is characterized by the presence of a carcinomatous component that corresponds to an adenosquamous carcinoma, and a sarcomatous component with rhabdomyoblastic differentiation. Since the biphasic sarcomatoid carcinoma has an aggressive clinical behaviour, immunohistochemical expression of prognostic markers, such as Ki-67 and p53 is evaluated to individuate differences between the carcinomatous and the sarcomatous components of the tumor. The higher p53 expression and Ki-67 positivity in the former, suggests that the carcinomatous component probably represents the more aggressive portion of the tumor. Moreover, P53 expression is nuclear in both carcinomatous and sarcomatous areas, thus it is likely that the biphasic sarcomatoid carcinoma of the lung is monoclonal in origin

Total pulmonary anomalous venous drainage. A case report

A case of total anomalous pulmonary venous drainage (TAPVD) is reported, which according to Darling classification corresponded to infradiaphragmatic type (type III) and is associated to pulmonary arterial thrombosis and infarctions. It's emphasized the need of an accurate dissection of cardiovascular system in perinatal necropsies, specially in cases of sudden infant death. By an appropiate dissection, cardiovascular malformations can be recognized. Moreover, it's explained the pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial thrombosis and infarctions