Expression of Neutral Endopeptidase, Endothelin-1, and Nuclear Factor Kappa B in Prostate Cancer: Interrelations and Associations with Prostate-Specific Antigen Recurrence after Radical Prostatectomy

Objective. To study the impact of the neutral endopeptidase (NEP)/neuropeptides (NPs) axis and nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) as predictors of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) recurrence after radical prostatectomy (RP). Patients and Methods. 70 patients with early-stage PC were treated with RP and their tumor samples were evaluated for expression of NEP, endothelin-1 (ET-1) and NFκB (p65). Time to PSA recurrence was correlated with the examined parameters and combined with preoperative PSA level, Gleason score, pathological TNM (pT) stage, and surgical margin (SM) assessment. Results and Limitations. Membranous expression of NEP (P < 0.001), cytoplasmic ET-1 (P = 0.002), and cytoplasmic NFκB (P < 0.001) were correlated with time to PSA relapse. NEP was associated with ET-1 (P < 0.001) and NFκB (P < 0.001). ET-1 was also correlated with NFκB (P < 0.001). NEP expression (P = 0.017), pT stage (P = 0.013), and SMs (P = 0.036) were independent predictors of time to PSA recurrence. Conclusions. There seems to be a clinical model of NEP/NPs and NFκB pathways interconnection, with their constituents following inverse patterns of expression in accordance with their biological roles and molecular interrelations

Research and innovation identified to decarbonise the maritime sector

The maritime sector requires technically, environmentally, socially, and economically informed pathways to decarbonise and eliminate all emissions harmful to the environment and health. This is extremely challenging and complex, and a wide range of technologies and solutions are currently being explored. However, it is important to assess the state-of-the-art and identify further research and innovation required to accelerate decarbonisation. The UK National Clean Maritime Research Hub have identified key priority areas to drive this process, with particular focus on marine fuels, power and propulsion, vessel efficiency, port operations and infrastructure, digitalisation, finance, regulation, and policy

Cavity-enhanced direct frequency comb spectroscopy

Cavity-enhanced direct frequency comb spectroscopy combines broad spectral bandwidth, high spectral resolution, precise frequency calibration, and ultrahigh detection sensitivity, all in one experimental platform based on an optical frequency comb interacting with a high-finesse optical cavity. Precise control of the optical frequency comb allows highly efficient, coherent coupling of individual comb components with corresponding resonant modes of the high-finesse cavity. The long cavity lifetime dramatically enhances the effective interaction between the light field and intracavity matter, increasing the sensitivity for measurement of optical losses by a factor that is on the order of the cavity finesse. The use of low-dispersion mirrors permits almost the entire spectral bandwidth of the frequency comb to be employed for detection, covering a range of ~10% of the actual optical frequency. The light transmitted from the cavity is spectrally resolved to provide a multitude of detection channels with spectral resolutions ranging from a several gigahertz to hundreds of kilohertz. In this review we will discuss the principle of cavity-enhanced direct frequency comb spectroscopy and the various implementations of such systems. In particular, we discuss several types of UV, optical, and IR frequency comb sources and optical cavity designs that can be used for specific spectroscopic applications. We present several cavity-comb coupling methods to take advantage of the broad spectral bandwidth and narrow spectral components of a frequency comb. Finally, we present a series of experimental measurements on trace gas detections, human breath analysis, and characterization of cold molecular beams.Comment: 36 pages, 27 figure

Intravesical therapy of superficial bladder cancer

Transurethral resection (TUR) of the superficial transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder is known to be insufficient in controlling the disease because of the unacceptable rates of recurrence, progression and ultimate cystectomy. Adjuvant intravesical chemo-and/or immunotherapy is administered in an effort to enhance the efficacy of surgery alone. The initial tumor stage and grade, the multifocality of this cancer and the history of previous recurrences remain the determinant factors in survival. It is important to decide exactly which patients are at risk, and, therefore, do need treatment. Knowledge of the natural history of the disease will facilitate this decision making, although the natural history of TCC is largely unpredictable owing to tumor heterogeneity. Several cytotoxic and immune modifying agents have been used intravesically in different treatment schedules. However, despite their effectiveness, no consensus exists about the optimal antineoplastic regimen. The selection of the latter is a subject of continuous investigation. Intravesical treatment with cytotoxic drugs has been demonstrated to achieve an acceptable reduction in short- and intermediate-term recurrence rates, but has no proven ability in preventing disease progression to muscle-invasive cancer or prolonging survival. On the other hand, bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) currently appears to be the most effective agent for intravesical use, especially in patients with high grade and stage neoplasms but the optimum strain, dosage and duration schedule have not been determined. Clinical trials have shown that BCG provides long-term protection from tumor recurrence, while there is evidence that it may favorably alter the progression rate of the disease with prolongation of survival. Toxicity of intravesical chemo- and immunotherapy still remains a major problem and attempts at reducing the dosage, and, thus, toxicity without affecting efficacy are underway. This review endeavors to present updated information on intravesical chemotherapy in treating superficial bladder cancer, the expanding role of intravesical immunotherapy, the recent work comparing various immunotherapeutic regimens with chemotherapeutic intravesical therapies, and the progress made towards achieving optimal treatment regimens

Shale gas: Evolution, prospects and geopolitical implications on global energy commerce and LNG shipping

144 σ.Η διπλωματική εργασία "Σχιστολιθικό αέριο: Εξέλιξη, προοπτικές και γεωπολιτικές επιπτώσεις στο παγκόσμιο ενεργειακό εμπόριο και στην LNG ναυτιλία"αναφέρεται στο σχιστολιθικό αέριο, μια από τις βασικότερες κατηγορίες μη συμβατικού φυσικού αερίου και στο πρόσφατο επίτευγμα της εμπορικήςεπανανακάλυψής του. Πάνω από όλα, η διατριβή αυτή στοχεύει στο να ενημερώσειτον αναγνώστηγια όλες τις σημαντικές πτυχές της shaleεπανάστασης που λαμβάνει χώρα αυτή τη στιγμή και να τις παρουσιάσει με ενιαίο, πλήρη και περιεκτικό τρόπο ώστε να του προσφέρει μια βαθύτερη κατανόηση και σφαιρική εικόνα πάνω στο θέμα. Θα έχει επιτύχει το σκοπό της, εάν χρησιμεύσει τόσο ως σημείο εκκίνησης της μελέτης του shalegasόσο και ως σημείο αναφοράς για περαιτέρω έρευνα. Αρχικά, στο κεφάλαιο Ι ορίζεται επακριβώς το σχιστολιθικό αέριο, η μη συμβατική φύση του και η θέση του στις κατηγορίες φυσικού αερίου. Το κεφάλαιο ΙΙ αφιερώνεται στην ιστορία πίσω από το επιστημονικό επίτευγμα που οδήγησε τελικά στην εμπορική εξόρυξηκαι παραγωγή του στη Βόρεια Αμερική. Το κεφάλαιο ΙΙΙ παρουσιάζει την τεχνολογία που επιστρατεύεται στην ανάπτυξη του σχιστολιθικού αερίου. Δεν εστιάζει μόνο στις βασικές τεχνικές του horizontaldrillingκαι του hydraulicfracturingαλλά παρέχει μια περιγραφή ολόκληρης της διαδικασίας ανάπτυξης από την αρχή έως το τέλος (περιλαμβάνει όχι μόνο τα μη συμβατικά τμήματά τηςαλλά και τα συμβατικά που συχνά παραλείπονται). Στο κεφάλαιο IV αναλύονται οι διάφοροι περιβαλλοντικοί κίνδυνοικαι επιπτώσεις της παραγωγής και υπογραμμίζεται η καθοριστική σημασία που έχει η επιτυχημένη αντιμετώπισή τους στην εδραίωση του shalegas. Ολοκληρώνοντας τη διπλωματική εργασία, το κεφάλαιο V προσεγγίζει οικονομοτεχνικά τα τωρινά και πιθανά μελλοντικά αποτελέσματα του shalegaleαπό τις σκοπιές της γεωπολιτικής, του παγκόσμιου ενεργειακού εμπορίου και τηςLNGναυτιλίας. Η εξόρυξη σχιστολιθικού αερίου έχει ήδη τεράστιο αντίκτυπο στον ενεργειακό τομέα. Η αντιστροφή του αναμενόμενου ρόλου των ΗΠΑ από εισαγωγέα φυσικού αερίου σεεξαγωγέαέχει οδηγήσει σε ένα ντόμινοταχύτατων γεωστρατηγικών οικονομικών αλλαγών που αναμένονται να αλλάξουν δραστικά το παγκόσμιο εμπόριο αγοράς και μεταφοράς ενέργειας. Εάν όλα τα (πολύ σοβαρά) περιβαλλοντολογικά θέματα προσεγγιστούνκαι αντιμετωπιστούν επιτυχώς στο μέλλον, το σχιστολιθικό αέριο θα ανταποκριθεί στις υψηλές προσδοκίες που έχουν δημιουργηθεί και θα φτάσει στο μέγιστο των δυνατοτήτων του˙ και αν αυτό τελικά δε συμβεί, οι αλλαγές που ήδη έχει επιφέρει είναι αρκετές ώστε με ασφάλεια να μπορούμε να το χαρακτηρίσουμε ως ένα σημείο αναφοράς της σύγχρονης ενεργειακής ιστορίας.'Shale gas: Evolution, prospects and geopolitical implications on global energy commerce and LNG shipping' is dedicated to the unconventional natural gas category of shale gas and its recent breakthrough commercial rediscovery.Above all, this thesis aims to inform the reader on all the major aspectsof the shale gas revolution currently taking place and present the research information gathered and deemed significant, in one consistent and comprehensive volume. It will have successfully served its purpose, if the reader gains an overview perspective and understanding of the 'shale gale' and intends to use this paper both as a starting and reference point for further research. Starting from Chapter I, we define what exactly shale gas is and understand its unconventional nature and place in the natural gas 'family'. Chapter II is dedicated to the history behind the breakthrough of shale gas that ultimately led to its full scale US commercialization. Chapter III presents the technology behind shale gas development. It doesn't focus only on the key techniques of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing; it provides a description of the whole development procedure from start to finish, putting into shale-perspective important conventional operations that are often omitted. In Chapter IV we analyze the various environmental impacts and hazards of development and emphasize on the importance they bear for the further establishment of shale gas. Concluding the thesis, Chapter V provides an economical presentation of the shale gas present and future effects in geopolitics, the global energy commerce and LNG shipping. Shale gas has already made a tremendous impact in the energy field. The unpredicted conversion of the USA from a natural gas importer to exporter has led to a domino of rapid geo-strategic economic changes that have significantly and drastically altered the world's energy market. If all (serious) environmental issues are addressed successfully in the future, shale gas will live up to its full potential; and even if it doesn't, the magnitude of its established effects is great enough to consider it a milestone.Κωνσταντίνος Δ. Μουτζούρη

The effectiveness of a scientific symposium to change urologists' attitude towards treatment of LUTS/BPH

Purpose The use of interactive voting systems in continuing education helps to evaluate the alteration in the audience's views after a presentation. This study was designed to evaluate whether urologists' attitude towards management of benign prostate hyperplasia can be changed, and to estimate objectively the achievement of educational goals by using an interactive voting system. Methods The audience attitude was repetitively estimated by responding to questions using wireless keypads. Educational goal achievement was calculated by adding the percentage of those changing their opinion from "wrong" to "right" and that of those insisting on their initial "right" opinion. Results Giving a "wrong" answer and the probability of opinion change were independent of age and board certification. Being initially on the "wrong" side resulted in a greater probability of opinion change. The educational goals were achieved in 20.8-86.2% of cases. Conclusions Satellite symposia are helpful learning environments. The use of an interactive voting system may help to evaluate objectively the achievement of educational goals