CONTRIBUTION OF EMPIRICAL METHODS AND SATELLITE DATA USE FOR ESTIMATING DAILY REFERENCE EVAPOTRANSPIRATION

Στην παρούσα εργασία χρησιμοποιούνται επίγεια και δορυφορικά μετεωρολογικά δεδομένα του έτους 2014 από την περιοχή της Βοιωτίας. Τα επίγεια δεδομένα προέρχονται από τον αυτόματο αγρομετεωρολογικό σταθμό (ΑΑΣ) μέτρησης της εξατμισοδιαπνοής αναφοράς (ΕΤο) του Γεωπονικού Πανεπιστημίου Αθηνών (ΓΠΑ). Τα μετεωρολογικά δορυφορικά δεδομένα (SAT) αντιστοιχούν σε πολύγωνο 0.25οΧ0.25ο εντός του οποίου λειτουργεί και ο ΑΑΣ. Χρησιμοποιώντας τα επίγεια αλλά και τα δορυφορικά δεδομένα, υπολογίσθηκε η ΕΤο με τη μέθοδο FAO-56 PM, αλλά και με τρεις εμπειρικές μεθόδους (Copais, Valiantzas και Hargreaves-Samani) και πραγματοποιήθηκαν συγκρίσεις με σκοπό να αξιολογηθεί η αξιοπιστία των μοντέλων. Ως βάση των συγκρίσεων υιοθετήθηκε η μέθοδος FAO-56 PM με χρήση επίγειων δεδομένων. Από την εργασία προκύπτει ότι τόσο για τα επίγεια όσο και για τα δορυφορικά δεδομένα η μέθοδος Copais δίνει τις καλύτερες εκτιμήσεις ακολουθούμενη από την μέθοδο Valiantzas και με σοβαρή υπερεκτίμηση η Hargreaves-Samani. In the present study we used ground and satellite meteorological data of the year 2014 from the region of Viotia-Greece. The ground data were obtained from the automatic grass reference evapotranspiration station (AAS) of the Agricultural University of Athens. The satellite data (SAT) cover an area of 0,25ο x 0,25ο that includes the AAS. By using the ground and the satellite data we calculated the reference evapotranspiration, ΕΤο, with the method FAO-56 PM and with three empirical methods (Copais, Valiantzas and Hargreaves-Samani). The FAO-56 PM was used as a benchmark method to compare and validate the performances of the others methods. The results show that for both the ground and the satellite data, Copais method is the most accurate followed by Valiantzas and Hargreaves-Samani, indicated by serious overestimation

Benefits and Harms of Sodium-Glucose Co-Transporter 2 Inhibitors in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2-i) are a novel drug class for the treatment of diabetes. We aimed at describing the maximal benefits and risks associated with SGLT2-i for patients with type 2 diabetes.Systematic review and meta-analysis.We included double-blinded, randomised controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating SGLT2-i administered in the highest approved therapeutic doses (canagliflozin 300 mg/day, dapagliflozin 10 mg/day, and empagliflozin 25 mg/day) for ≥12 weeks. Comparison groups could receive placebo or oral antidiabetic drugs (OAD) including metformin, sulphonylureas (SU), or dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors (DPP-4-i). Trials were identified through electronic databases and extensive manual searches. Primary outcomes were glycated haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels, serious adverse events, death, severe hypoglycaemia, ketoacidosis and CVD. Secondary outcomes were fasting plasma glucose, body weight, blood pressure, heart rate, lipids, liver function tests, creatinine and adverse events including infections. The quality of the evidence was assessed using GRADE.Meta-analysis of 34 RCTs with 9,154 patients showed that SGLT2-i reduced HbA1c compared with placebo (mean difference -0.69%, 95% confidence interval -0.75 to -0.62%). We downgraded the evidence to 'low quality' due to variability and evidence of publication bias (P = 0.015). Canagliflozin was associated with the largest reduction in HbA1c (-0.85%, -0.99% to -0.71%). There were no differences between SGLT2-i and placebo for serious adverse events. SGLT2-i increased the risk of urinary and genital tract infections and increased serum creatinine, and exerted beneficial effects on bodyweight, blood pressure, lipids and alanine aminotransferase (moderate to low quality evidence). Analysis of 12 RCTs found a beneficial effect of SGLT2-i on HbA1c compared with OAD (-0.20%, -0.28 to -0.13%; moderate quality evidence).This review includes a large number of patients with type 2 diabetes and found that SGLT2-i reduces HbA1c with a notable increased risk in non-serious adverse events. The analyses may overestimate the intervention benefit due bias

Greek theater in southeastern Europe and the eastern Mediterranean from 1810 to 1961

In this essay I examine the importance of theater in the communities of the Greek diaspora around the Mediterranean and in southeastern Europe during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Greek translations of European plays and original modern Greek plays were both published and produced from Odessa to Vienna and from Constantinople to Alexandria. The onset of the Greek War of Independence in 1821 had an adverse effect on the public performances of Greek plays in the Ottoman Empire far several years, but performances resumed in 1856 with the Hatii-Hümayun (Imperial Edict). Theater at this time was used as a means to raise the consciousness of the Greek diaspora. It was supported by the touring professional companies, local amateur companies, and by intellectuals, teachers, and journalists who translated or adapted foreign plays into Greek but also wrote original plays. The demise of prosperous Greek communities during the twentieth century put an abrupt end to this all this activity. © 2007 by The Johns Hopkins University Press

Lack of association between endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene polymorphisms and risk of premature coronary artery disease in the Greek population

Objective - Genetic polymorphisms in the gene for endothelial nitric oxide synthase have been considered as potential risk factors for the development of coronary artery disease in some populations. Methods - We studied two polymorphisms of the NOS3 gene, the VNTR in intron 4 (4VNTR) and the Glu298Asp polymorphism in exon 7, in relation to the existence of premature coronary artery disease and the occurrence of myocardial infarction. A total number of 370 individuals of the Greek population was examined by PCR-RFLP method. The patient group consisted of 209 subjects, aged less than 58 years presenting symptomatic coronary artery disease, documented by coronary angiography. Results - The frequencies for bb, ab and aa genotypes of 4VNTR polymorphism were 0.67, 0.29, 0.04, respectively, for the patient group and 0.73, 0.24, 0.03 for the control group. The frequencies for GG (Glu/ Glu), GT (Glu/Asp), TT (Asp/Asp) of the Glu298Asp polymorphism were 0.52, 0.41, 0.07, respectively, in patients compared to 0.47, 0.46, 0.07, in control subjects. Statistical analysis indicated that there are no significant differences in the frequencies of the genotypes between patients and control subjects for both polymorphisms. The combined analysis of the two polymorphisms indicated no synergistic effect of the a and T alleles on coronary artery disease. Conclusions - We have found no evidence for association between the a allele of the 4VNTR polymorphism, or the T allele of Glu298Asp polymorphism and the risk for premature coronary artery disease or occurrence of myocardial infarction. Furthermore, no synergistic contribution of these polymorphisms to the development of premature coronary artery disease has been observed