Η νομική φύση του Bitcoin

Ο όρος «bitcoin» αναφέρεται τόσο στο εικονικό νόμισμα «bitcoin» όσο και στο αποκεντρωμένο σύστημα ανταλλαγής νομισμάτων «bitcoin», το οποίο δίνει τη δυνατότητα για τη διεξαγωγή ομότιμων συναλλαγών χωρίς την ύπαρξη μεσαζόντων. Κλειδί για την διασφάλιση της εμπιστοσύνης εντός του συστήματος είναι μία ριζοσπαστική στη σύλληψή της τεχνολογία καταγραφής των διεξαγόμενων συναλλαγών σε έναν δημόσιο ηλεκτρονικό κατάλογο / βάση δεδομένων, που επίσης διατηρείται αποθηκευμένος αποκεντρωμένα στους κόμβους του συστήματος μέσω τεχνολογίας ομότιμων δικτύων [blockchain technology]. Από νομικής άποψης τα εικονικά νομίσματα επίσης δεν θεωρούνται χρήματα εν στενή εννοία. Στην νομική έννοια του χρήματος εμπίπτουν φορείς οικονομικής αξίας που εκδίδονται από κεντρικές τράπεζες κρατών και χρησιμοποιούνται ευρέως στις συναλλαγές ως μέσο ανταλλαγής της αξίας αυτής. Ειδικότερα, εντός της Ευρωζώνης ως νόμιμο μέσο πληρωμής γίνεται δεκτό μόνο το Ευρώ είτε σε μορφή νομισμάτων/ χαρτονομισμάτων είτε ενσωματωμένο σε ηλεκτρονικό χρήμα. Τα εικονικά νομίσματα δεν χρησιμοποιούνται ευρέως στις συναλλαγές, δεν εκδίδονται από κεντρικές τράπεζες κρατών και δεν ενσωματώνουν αξία νομισμάτων, που αναγνωρίζονται σύμφωνα με τα παραπάνω ως νόμιμα μέσα πληρωμής από κάποια κρατική οντότητα. Ως εκ τούτου, τα εικονικά νομίσματα δεν εμπίπτουν στην έννοια του χρήματος ή του νομίσματος. Έτσι, συμπεραίνεται ότι από νομικής άποψης το εικονικό νόμισμα «bitcoin» αποτελεί ουσιαστικά ένα μέσο πληρωμής, που συμφωνείται συμβατικά μεταξύ των συναλλασσομένων μερών. Για τον λόγο αυτόν το εικονικό νόμισμα αποτελεί μέσο εξοφλήσεως μόνο για τις επιχειρήσεις που το δέχονται και εφόσον δέχονται κάθε φορά την εξόφληση απαιτήσεων με βάση αυτό. Το bitcoin και, γενικότερα, τα εικονικά νομίσματα διαφέρουν από το ηλεκτρονικό χρήμα, όπως αυτό ορίζεται στην Οδηγία 2009/110/ΕΚ, κατά το μέτρο που, στη περίπτωση του εικονικού νομίσματος και σε αντίθεση με το ηλεκτρονικό χρήμα, τα χρηματικά ποσά δεν εκφράζονται σε κάποια κρατικά αναγνωρισμένη μονάδα, όπως, παραδείγματος χάριν, το Ευρώ, αλλά σε μια εικονική μονάδα, όπως είναι το «bitcoin».“…. how do you help someone appreciate that an algorithm is more trustworthy than their government?” Bitcoin, the world’s first decentralized digital currency, is attracting attention across the globe. When acknowledging that it is also the first borderless, apolitical form of money in history, it is hard to avoid the topic of whether it can be used legally. Its decentralized nature ensures that nobody can actually stop its usage. As a broad answer, bitcoin can be used anywhere with equal access to the network, as long as somebody has access to the internet and in some areas, just electricity, thanks to new satellite systems. Legal tender is defined as money that must be accepted as payment for a debt in the jurisdiction where the payment is being made. Because bitcoin is not recognized as legal tender by any government, it can only be used as payment if both parties in a transaction agree to its use as a form of payment. New technologies are often misrepresented and misunderstood, as the internet itself was in the early days. Some first world countries, like the United States, Canada, and most of Europe, have taken a “wait and see” approach to bitcoin by not outright banning it, but they are slow to regulate it as a legitimate financial technology. The gray line in these legal classifications is what bitcoin is considered. Regulatory bodies all over the world have each given bitcoin its own legal classification based on what they believe it is. The problem arises when each regulatory body has their own viewpoint on what classification the digital currency falls under. In the United States, for example, the Treasury classifies bitcoin as a “virtual currency.” The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) classifies bitcoin as a commodity, and the Internal Revenue Service classifies bitcoin as property. All of these organizations have their reasons for classifying the digital currency the way they do, but the fact that it is classified differently so many times goes to show one thing: nobody is ready to agree on a definition of exactly what bitcoin is

Υδραυλικά Έργα και Φράγματα με Περίπτωση Μελέτης, την Επέμβαση της ΕΥΔΑΠ και των Αρμοδίων Φορέων, όταν δημιουργηθεί Ρήγμα σε Μεγάλη Εγκατάσταση

Σύμφωνα με όσα θα αναφερθούν και θα σχολιαστούν στις ακόλουθες σελίδες της εργασίας, θα λέγαμε πως βασικός σκοπός της εν λόγω μεταπτυχιακής εργασίας, αναφέρεται σχετικά η συλλογή, αξιολόγηση και συζήτηση στοιχείων που τοποθετούνται στο πλαίσιο της ανάλυσης των δεδομένων για τα Υδραυλικά Έργα και Φράγματα με Περίπτωση Μελέτης την Επέμβαση της ΕΥΔΑΠ και των Αρμοδίων Φορέων όταν Δημιουργηθεί Ρήγμα. Ως εκ τούτου, και προκειμένου η εν λόγω εργασία να θεωρείται ορθή και αποτελεσματική ως προς τα στοιχεία που εξετάζει, διαχωρίζεται σχετικά σε τρία (3) κεφάλαια, με πρώτο εκείνο που οριοθετείται στα Υδραυλικά Έργα από την Αρχαιότητα Μέχρι τη Σημερινή Εποχή, το δεύτερο κεφάλαιο αναφέρεται στις Κατηγορίες Υδραυλικών Έργων – Στοιχεία και Τύποι Φραγμάτων Καθώς και Αντιπλημμυρικά Έργα και τέλος στο τρίτο κεφάλαιο αναφέρεται στη Περίπτωση Μελέτης Επέμβαση της ΕΥΔΑΠ και Αρμοδίων Φορέων σε Τυχόν Δημιουργία Ρήγματος σε μια Μεγάλη ΕγκατάστασηAccording to what will be mentioned and will be commented on the following pages of the thesis, we would say that the main purpose of this postgraduate work, it is the collection, evaluation and discussion of data that are placed in the context of the analysis of data on Hydraulic Works and Dams with Case Study of the intervention of EYDAP and the Competent Bodies when Creation is made. Therefore, and in order for this work to be considered correct and effective as regards the items under consideration, it is divided into three (3) chapters, with the first one delineated in the Hydraulic Works from Antiquity to the Present Era, the second chapter refers to the Categories of Hydraulic Works - Elements and Types of Dams as well as Floodplain Works and finally to the third chapter refers to the Case Study Intervention of EYDAP and Responsible Bodies in Any Formation of a Dyke in a Great Installatio

Serum Lipid Profile Constituents as Markers of Cardiovascular Morbidity in Patients on Chronic Hemodialysis

We designed the present case-control study in order to examine the validity of apolipoprotein (apo) A-I, B, apoB/apoA-I ratio and Lp(a) as alternative markers of cardiovascular morbidity in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis (HD). Twenty-five HD patients (18 males, mean age 63, range 52–69 years) comprised the group with prevalent cardiovascular disease (CVD) and 50 HD patients (35 males, mean age 62, range 40–77 years) with non evident cardiovascular disease history constituted the second study group. Patients with CVD had significantly higher concentrations of serum apoB, apoB/apoA-I ratio and Lp(a), and lower levels of apoA-I compared to patients without incident CVD. All three parameters studied were correlated with cardiovascular morbidity, i.e. apoA-I negatively and apoB and apoB/apoA-I ratio positively (r = −0.6, P < 0.05; r = 0.659, P < 0.01; and r = 0.614, P < 0.01, respectively). Furthermore, logCRP exhibited as well a significant positive correlation with cardiovascular morbidity (r = 0.704, P < 0.001), not this being the case for Lp(a) which was not found to exhibit such a correlation (r = 0.05, P = NS). Among them, apoB and apoB/apoA-I ratio exhibited the characteristics most coherent to CVD. The age- and sex-adjusted OR for the presence of CVD was 2.3 and 2.0, respectively, which remained independent of any confounding effect of inflammation. In conclusion, serum apoB levels and apoB/apoA-I ratio exhibit characteristics of credible independent markers of in HD patients

Synchronous Presence of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma and Marginal Zone (MALT-Type) B-Cell Lymphoma in the Pharynx

Synchronous malignancy of squamous cell carcinoma and malignant lymphoma in the head and neck region is extremely rare. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is a nonlymphomatous, squamous cell carcinoma that occurs in the nasopharyngeal epithelium. Reported herein is a unique case of nasopharyngeal carcinoma occurring simultaneously with MALT-type lymphoma in an 83-year-old woman, who complained of deglutition dysfunction. Endoscopic examination of respective organs revealed a submucosal tumour on the posterior wall of pharynx. Biopsy of the hypopharynx was taken and sent for histological examination, which revealed two different neoplasms. Immunohistochemical and molecular analysis confirmed the diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma coexisting with a MALT-type lymphoma

Local development and cultural landscapes: getting to know the inaccessible villages of the greek war of independence

The cultural landscapes have a dual, material and intangible nature being the result of interactions between people and nature through time. Considering that its understanding requires integrated analysis techniques we experimented a mapping method in «Revolutionary Palimpsests», a research project investigating the cultural landscapes of settlements that played an important role in the Greek War of Independence. Combining design, cartography and visual arts and focusing on socio-spatial complexities, our researchers produced maps of both artistic and informative nature revealing the mnemonic traces of such a historical event on those settlements. Maps’ exhibition in a visual art event is expected to sensitize the public to that local heritage. We argue that the protection and promotion of the cultural landscape plays a significant role in development, strengthening the local identity and commitment, also enhancing the attractiveness, that is essential especially for inaccessible settlements that are facing development deficiencies, such as many mountainous and island settlements in Greece. From about 150 mapped «revolutionary settlements» we will refer below to the example of two inaccessible areas, Souli in Epirus and Mani (Maina) in Peloponnese, exploring the question of whether the protection and promotion of their cultural landscape could contribute to development

An Exceptional Case of Intraparotid Plexiform Neurofibroma Originating from Autonomic Fibers of the Auriculotemporal Nerve

Plexiform neurofibromas are benign tumors that tend to occur in patients suffering from neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1). This report addresses a rare case where the tumor affected the parotid gland, deriving almost exclusively from the peripheral portion of the facial nerve. A 6-year-old male was referred to us complaining about a gradually enlarging swelling over the right parotid area. Imaging localized the lesion to the superficial lobe of the parotid gland, suggesting a neurofibroma. Cosmetic disfigurement and a functional deficit led us to perform complete surgical resection. Meticulous surgical dissection as well as auriculotemporal nerve origin made complete extirpation possible with almost zero morbidity and ensured alleviation of both aesthetic impairment and pain. This is the first case of an intraparotid PN in a pediatric NF-1 patient, which originated from branches of the auriculotemporal nerve and particularly from fibers of the autonomic nervous system. Radical surgical excision was decided according to established decision-making algorithms

MMP9 but Not EGFR, MET, ERCC1, P16, and P-53 Is Associated with Response to Concomitant Radiotherapy, Cetuximab, and Weekly Cisplatin in Patients with Locally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer

Concomitant administration of radiotherapy with cisplatin or radiotherapy with cetuximab appear to be the treatment of choice for patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer. In the present retrospective analysis, we investigated the predictive role of several biomarkers in an unselected cohort of patients treated with concomitant radiotherapy, weekly cisplatin, and cetuximab (CCRT). We identified 37 patients treated with this approach, of which 13 (35%) achieved a complete response and 10 (27%) achieved a partial response. Severe side effects were mainly leucopenia, dysphagia, rash, and anemia. Tumor EGFR, MET, ERCC1, and p-53 protein and/or gene expression were not associated with treatment response. In contrast, high MMP9 mRNA expression was found to be significantly associated with objective response. In conclusion, CCRT is feasible and active. MMP9 was the only biomarker tested that appears to be of predictive value in cetuximab treated patients. However, this is a hypothesis generating study and the results should not be viewed as definitive evidence until they are validated in a larger cohort

Hydrotherapy (Project Hydriades)

Natural resources are being used for the maintenance of health. According to the Law 3498/2006 of the Greek Parliament the natural health spas must be validated for their therapeutic properties. The Association of Municipalities and Communities of Health Springs of Greece signed a contract with the Research Committee of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, in order to conduct the research programme: ‘Study for the documentation of the therapeutic properties of the thermomineral waters’. The main aim of the project is: (1) the study of biological and therapeutic parameters of the natural health sources, (2) the identification of the indications and contraindications of hydrotherapy. Aims parallel to the main ones have been also set

Cardiomyocyte BRAF and type 1 RAF inhibitors promote cardiomyocyte and cardiac hypertrophy in mice in vivo

The extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) cascade promotes cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and is cardioprotective, with the three RAF kinases forming a node for signal integration. Our aims were to determine if BRAF is relevant for human heart failure, whether BRAF promotes cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, and if Type 1 RAF inhibitors developed for cancer (that paradoxically activate ERK1/2 at low concentrations: the “RAF paradox”) may have the same effect. BRAF was upregulated in heart samples from patients with heart failure compared with normal controls. We assessed the effects of activated BRAF in the heart using mice with tamoxifen-activated Cre for cardiomyocyte-specific knock-in of the activating V600E mutation into the endogenous gene. We used echocardiography to measure cardiac dimensions/function. Cardiomyocyte BRAFV600E induced cardiac hypertrophy within 10 d, resulting in increased ejection fraction and fractional shortening over 6 weeks. This was associated with increased cardiomyocyte size without significant fibrosis, consistent with compensated hypertrophy. The experimental Type 1 RAF inhibitor, SB590885, and/or encorafenib (a RAF inhibitor used clinically) increased ERK1/2 phosphorylation in cardiomyocytes, and promoted hypertrophy, consistent with a “RAF paradox” effect. Both promoted cardiac hypertrophy in mouse hearts in vivo, with increased cardiomyocyte size and no overt fibrosis. In conclusion, BRAF potentially plays an important role in human failing hearts, activation of BRAF is sufficient to induce hypertrophy, and Type 1 RAF inhibitors promote hypertrophy via the “RAF paradox”. Cardiac hypertrophy resulting from these interventions was not associated with pathological features, suggesting that Type 1 RAF inhibitors may be useful to boost cardiomyocyte function

Event reconstruction for KM3NeT/ORCA using convolutional neural networks

The KM3NeT research infrastructure is currently under construction at two locations in the Mediterranean Sea. The KM3NeT/ORCA water-Cherenkov neutrino detector off the French coast will instrument several megatons of seawater with photosensors. Its main objective is the determination of the neutrino mass ordering. This work aims at demonstrating the general applicability of deep convolutional neural networks to neutrino telescopes, using simulated datasets for the KM3NeT/ORCA detector as an example. To this end, the networks are employed to achieve reconstruction and classification tasks that constitute an alternative to the analysis pipeline presented for KM3NeT/ORCA in the KM3NeT Letter of Intent. They are used to infer event reconstruction estimates for the energy, the direction, and the interaction point of incident neutrinos. The spatial distribution of Cherenkov light generated by charged particles induced in neutrino interactions is classified as shower- or track-like, and the main background processes associated with the detection of atmospheric neutrinos are recognized. Performance comparisons to machine-learning classification and maximum-likelihood reconstruction algorithms previously developed for KM3NeT/ORCA are provided. It is shown that this application of deep convolutional neural networks to simulated datasets for a large-volume neutrino telescope yields competitive reconstruction results and performance improvements with respect to classical approaches