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Π.4. : Οδηγίες Συμβούλων
Get PDFΟ Οδηγός Συμβούλων, στοχεύει στην προετοιμασία των συμβούλων που θα αναλάβουν την συμβουλευτική υποστήριξη των στελεχών επιχειρήσεων, κατά τον σχεδιασμό των ενεργειών εξωστρεφούς δράσης, και αποσκοπεί στην τυποποίηση των παρεχόμενων συμβουλευτικών υπηρεσιών και στην μεγιστοποίηση της αποτελεσματικότητάς του
‘‘Cryptic’’ group-I introns in the nuclear SSU-rRNA gene of Verticillium dahliae
Get PDFGroup-I introns are widespread—though irregularly distributed—in eukaryotic organisms, and they have been extensively used for discrimination and phylogenetic analyses. Within the Verticillium genus, which comprises important phytopathogenic fungi, a group-I intron was previously identified in the SSU-rRNA (18S) gene of only V. longisporum. In this work, we aimed at elucidating the SSU-located intron distribution in V. dahliae and other Verticillium species, and the assessment of heterogeneity regarding intron content among rDNA repeats of fungal strains. Using conserved PCR primers for the amplification of the SSU gene, a structurally similar novel intron (sub-group IC1) was detected in only a few V. dahliae isolates. However, when intron-specific primers were used for the screening of a diverse collection of Verticillium isolates that originally failed to produce intron-containing SSU amplicons, most were found to contain one or both intron types, at variable rDNA repeat numbers. This marked heterogeneity was confirmed with qRT-PCR by testing rDNA copy numbers (varying from 39 to 70 copies per haploid genome) and intron copy ratios in selected isolates. Our results demonstrate that (a) IC1 group-I introns are not specific to V. longisporum within the Verticillium genus, (b) V. dahliae isolates of vegetative compatibility groups (VCGs) 4A and 6, which bear the novel intron at most of their rDNA repeats, are closely related, and (c) there is considerable intra-genomic heterogeneity for the presence or absence of introns among the ribosomal repeats. These findings underline that distributions of introns in the highly heterogeneous repetitive rDNA complex should always be verified with sensitive methods to avoid misleading conclusions for the phylogeny of fungi and other organisms
Modeling the regulatory intervention in the telecommunications market
Get PDFThis thesis discusses the role of sector-specific regulators in the rapidly changing telecommunications industry. In particular, it studies the access pricing policy which provides the optimal balance between static and dynamic efficiency that better reflects the changing regulatory goals in a highly variable economic and technological environment. Static efficiency concerns the maximization of social welfare by intensifying the competition for providing differentiated services (service-based competition), whereas dynamic efficiency concerns the maximization of social welfare by incentivizing investments in competitive infrastructures (facilities-based competition). It is thus obvious that the role of regulators is to facilitate the gradual transition from static to dynamic efficiency by influencing the investment and competition outcomes through the regulation of the access price. Therefore, there is an interplay between regulatory policy and technological development which leads to rapidly changing market structures and industry performance
Facile and Efficient Syntheses of a Series of N-Benzyl and N-Biphenylmethyl Substituted Imidazole Derivatives Based on (E)-Urocanic acid, as Angiotensin II AT1 Receptor Blockers
Get PDFIn the present work, a facile and efficient route for the synthesis of a series of N-substituted imidazole derivatives is described. Docking studies have revealed that N-substituted imidazole derivatives based on (E)-urocanic acid may be potential antihypertensive leads. Therefore, new AT1 receptor blockers bearing either the benzyl or the biphenylmethyl moiety at the N-1 or N-3 position, either the (E)-acrylate or the propanoate fragment and their related acids at the C-4 position as well as a halogen atom at the C-5 position of the imidazole ring, were synthesized. The newly synthesized analogues were evaluated for binding to human AT1 receptor. The biological results showed that this class of molecules possesses moderate or no activity, thus not always confirming high docking scores. Nonetheless, important conclusions can be derived for their molecular basis of their mode of action and help medicinal chemists to design and synthesize more potent ones. An aliphatic group as in losartan seems to be important for enhancing binding affinity and activity
Identifying family correlates of adolescents’ subjective health complaints: evidence from a Greek cross-sectional study
Get PDFDistinct aspects of family life have been suggested to influence adolescent psychosomatic health. The aim of the present study was to investigate family factors associated with adolescents’ Subjective Health Complaints (SHC)
Cost-sharing in the Greek Health Centres: The Administrative Personnel Aspects
Get PDFCost-sharing was introduced in Greece to supplement the state finance and social insurance funds and make patients cost-conscious. A questionnaire was distributed to 193 administrative personnel (response rate 96 per cent). The research was conducted from June 2011 to May 2012. Statistical analysis was performed using the Pearson x2 test, the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, the t-test and the Mann-Whitney test at p<0.05 level of significance. 92 per cent of the respondents said that patients complied with the payment of fees and 41.5 per cent that their visits to health centres have been reduced. 64 per cent of health centres do not employ only administrative personnel for the collection of medical fees but also nurses, physicians and technicians. At 85 per cent of health centres information technology systems are not used for the collection of medical fees. Although cost-sharing has contributed to the rational use of health centres’ services, it does not sufficiently corresponds to the expectations for effective provision of health care services
Incidence and prevalence of major central nervous system involvement in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A 3-year prospective study of 370 patients
Get PDFBackground: The incidence and prevalence of CNS involvement in SLE remains unclear owing to conflicting results in the published studies. The aim of the study was to evaluate the incidence and prevalence of major definite CNS events in SLE patients.
Methods: 370 SLE patients with no previous history of CNS involvement were prospectively evaluated in a tertiary hospital referral center for 3 years. Major CNS manifestations were codified according to ACR definitions, including chorea, aseptic meningitis, psychosis, seizures, myelopathy, demyelinating syndrome, acute confusional state and strokes. Minor CNS events were excluded. ECLAM and SLEDAI-SELENA Modification scores were used to evaluate disease activity and SLICC/ACR Damage Index was used to assess accumulated damage.
Results: 16/370 (4.3%) patients presented with a total of 23 major CNS events. These included seizures (35%), strokes (26%), myelopathy (22%), optic neuritis (8.7%), aseptic meningitis (4.3%) and acute psychosis (4.3%). Incidence was 7.8/100 person years. Among hospitalizations for SLE, 13% were due to CNS manifestations. Epileptic seizures were associated with high disease activity, while myelopathy correlated with lower disease activity and NMO-IgG antibodies (P#0.05). Stroke incidence correlated with APS coexistence (P = 0.06). Overall, CNS involvement correlated with high ECLAM and SLEDAI scores (P,0.001).
Conclusions: Clinically severe CNS involvement is rare in SLE patients, accounting for 7.8/100 person years. CNS involvement correlates with high disease activity and coexistence of specific features that define the respective CNS syndromes