Search

Understanding the habitat use and selection patterns of endangered species is essential in developing management measures that will protect critical habitat and mitigate human-wildlife conflicts. This understanding is particularly important in areas with high anthropogenic pressures. To understand the ecological role of various habitat types in the conservation of an endangered large carnivore in southern Europe, with its distinct environmental conditions and predominantly anthropogenic landscapes, we studied 18 GPS-collared brown bears Ursus arctos in Greece. We examined the use and selection of habitats according to age and sex categories and behavioral status during 5 ecologically defined seasons. Areas with rough terrain were identified as important refuge areas and were used by all bears in late hyperphagia and emergence. All bears used areas closer to human-related habitat features during the night. Habitat selection was positive for areas with rough terrain and naturalized (i.e. abandoned or not intensive) crops and areas close to water courses, while high-altitude areas and roads were avoided. The selection or avoidance of other habitats varied across bear categories and between stationary and moving behavior. We recommend that the results of the study be used to develop guidelines for species conservation and allow for prioritizing management actions that will promote the conservation of bears in Greece. In particular, the habitat use patterns provide information on how to limit interactions between humans and bears in space and/or time, while the habitat selection patterns indicate suitable habitats that should be protected/improved based on their importance and ecological role for the species.

Abstract This article presents an experimental demonstration of a high-capacity millimeter-wave 5G NR signal transmission with analog radio-over-fiber (ARoF) fronthaul over multi-core fiber and full real-time processing. The demonstration validates the core of the blueSPACE fronthaul architecture which combines ARoF fronthaul with space division multiplexing in the optical distribution network to alleviate the fronthaul capacity bottleneck and maintain a centralized radio access network with fully centralized signal processing. The introduction of optical beamforming in the blueSPACE architecture brings true multi-beam transmission and enables full spatial control over the RF signal. The proposed ARoF architecture features a transmitter that generates the ARoF signal and an optical signal carrying a reference local oscillator employed for downconversion at the remote unit from a single RF reference at the central office. A space division multiplexing based radio access network with multi-core fibre allows parallel transport of the uplink ARoF signal and reference local oscillator at the same wavelength over separate cores. A complete description of the real-time signal processing and experimental setup is provided and system performance is evaluated. Transmission of an 800 MHz wide extended 5G NR fronthaul signal over a 7-core fibre is shown with full real-time signal processing, achieving 1.4 Gbit/s with a bit error rate $$

The ExoClock project has been created to increase the efficiency of the Ariel mission. It will achieve this by continuously monitoring and updating the ephemerides of Ariel candidates, in order to produce a consistent catalog of reliable and precise ephemerides. This work presents a homogenous catalog of updated ephemerides for 450 planets, generated by the integration of ∼18,000 data points from multiple sources. These sources include observations from ground-based telescopes (the ExoClock network and the Exoplanet Transit Database), midtime values from the literature, and light curves from space telescopes (Kepler, K2, and TESS). With all the above, we manage to collect observations for half of the postdiscovery years (median), with data that have a median uncertainty less than 1 minute. In comparison with the literature, the ephemerides generated by the project are more precise and less biased. More than 40% of the initial literature ephemerides had to be updated to reach the goals of the project, as they were either of low precision or drifting. Moreover, the integrated approach of the project enables both the monitoring of the majority of the Ariel candidates (95%), and also the identification of missing data. These results highlight the need for continuous monitoring to increase the observing coverage of the candidate planets. Finally, the extended observing coverage of planets allows us to detect trends (transit-timing variations) for a sample of 19 planets. All the products, data, and codes used in this work are open and accessible to the wider scientific community.

Testicular metastases from ureteral carcinoma are rare and they are generally mimic orchiepididymitis. For this reason, these are associated to misleading diagnoses and cancer treatment delay. We believe that both timing and knowledge of genital blood and lymph reverse flow routes may represent two important parameters for avoiding misleading diagnoses and speed proper anticancer treatment. We describe a case and discuss pathophysiological data and relevant literature.

A number of immunotherapies have been developed and adopted for the treatment of urothelial cancer (encompassing cancers arising from the bladder, urethra, or renal pelvis). For these immunotherapies to positively impact patient outcomes, optimal selection of agents and treatment scheduling, especially in conjunction with existing treatment paradigms, is paramount. Immunotherapies also warrant specific and unique considerations regarding patient management, emphasizing both the prompt identification and treatment of potential toxicities. In order to address these issues, the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) convened a panel of experts in the field of immunotherapy for urothelial cancer. The expert panel developed this clinical practice guideline (CPG) to inform healthcare professionals on important aspects of immunotherapeutic treatment for urothelial cancer, including diagnostic testing, treatment planning, immune-related adverse events (irAEs), and patient quality of life (QOL) considerations. The evidence- and consensus-based recommendations in this CPG are intended to give guidance to cancer care providers treating patients with urothelial cancer.

Digital transformation strategies are of elementary importance for organizations competing in the digital age. Challenges such as faster changing customer needs, new value creation structures in digital eco-systems, or the use of collective intelligence to innovate business models require leveraging digital technologies. To achieve this and remain competitive, appropriate digital transformation strategies need to be in place. Yet, studies show that organizations struggle with strategy formulation and implementation. Based on workshops with practitioners the authors obtained concrete needs, pains, and gains as requirements for the development of an own, new intelligent and platform-based assessment tool. The proposed tool collects, calculates, and visualizes in a self-service manner, relevant company data to support decision-makers and organizations in digital transformation strategy development and implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine and compare the training and detraining effects of outdoor serial and integrated combined exercise programs on health, functional capacity, and physical fitness indices. Fifty-one untrained overweight/obese males (47 ± 4 years) were divided into a serial combined (SCG), an integrated combined (ICG), or a control (CG) group. The SCG and ICG implemented a 3-month training (3 sessions/week) consisting of walking and body weight exercises. The only difference between SCG and ICG was the sequence of aerobic and strength training. In SCG, the strength training was performed before aerobic training, while in ICG the aerobic and the strength training were alternated repeatedly in a predetermined order. Health, functional capacity, and physical fitness indices were measured before the training, following the termination of programs, and 1-month after training cessation. Following the training, both the SCG and ICG groups showed reduced blood pressure, heart rate, body fat, and waist-to-hip ratio (3–11%; p < 0.001), with improved respiratory function, muscle strength, aerobic capacity, flexibility, and balance (14–61%; p < 0.001). After 1-month of training cessation, significant reductions (p < 0.05) were observed in health indices and physical fitness without returning to baseline levels. However, there were no differences between SCG and ICG after training and training cessation (p > 0.05). In CG, all the above variables did not change. Furthermore, a great percentage of participants in both exercise groups (90%) reported high levels of enjoyment. In conclusion, both serial and integrated outdoor combined walking and body weight strength training programs are enjoyable and equally effective for improving health, functional capacity, and physical fitness indices in overweight/obese middle-aged males.

Unlike the hearts of mammals, the adult zebrafish heart regenerates after injury. Heart cryoinjury in zebrafish triggers the formation of a fibrotic scar that gradually degrades, leading to regeneration. Midkine-a (Mdka) is a multifunctional cytokine that is activated after cardiac injury. Here, we investigated the role of mdka in zebrafish heart regeneration. We show that mdka expression was induced at 1-day post-cryoinjury (dpci) throughout the epicardial layer, whereas by 7 dpci expression had become restricted to the epicardial cells covering the injured area. To study the role of mdka in heart regeneration, we generated mdka-knock out (KO) zebrafish strains. Analysis of injured hearts showed that loss of mdka decreased endothelial cell proliferation and resulted in an arrest in heart regeneration characterized by retention of a collagenous scar. Transcriptional analysis revealed increases in collagen transcription and intense TGFβ signaling activity. These results reveal a critical role for mdka in fibrosis regulation during heart regeneration.

Gastrointestinal ischemia is rare after small pelvis surgery. Minimal invasive robotic surgery requires adaptation of the surgical approach for cystectomy and derivation construction such as the use of pneumoperitoneum and Trendelenburg positioning of the patient. Two cases with gastric ischemic complications after robot-assisted radical cystectomy are described. The first case was a 68-year-old female who had prolonged gastroparalysis and blood in a replaced gastric tube at day 10 after robotic cystectomy and Bricker urinary derivation. Gastroscopy revealed ischemia of gastric and proximal duodenal mucosa while computed tomography showed multiple calcifications and thrombi in the coeliac trunk branches and splenic infarcts. The stenosis of the origin of the mesenteric superior artery was stented via an endovascular procedure, and the patient recovered with normal gastroscopy 1 month postoperatively. The second case was a 73-year-old male who developed abdominal pain and fever 5 days after robotic cystectomy and Bricker. On abdominal computed tomography imaging, subcutaneous emphysema, intra-abdominal air, and calcification at the origin of the coeliac trunk were found. At laparotomy 5 days after the cystectomy, a 3 cm hole in the fundus of the stomach was found which was removed with the major stomach curvature. Gastroscopy 5 days after hemigastrectomy revealed no remnant ischemia. The prolonged pneumoperitoneum during robotic cystectomy, the deep Trendelenburg position, and the preoperatively impaired vascular system can be the reasons of our first two cases of gastric ischemia. This rare complication should be kept in mind in patients with symptoms of gastric ischemia since it can result in gastric perforation.

Introduction: Brain drain, an increasing phenomenon, can be defined as the international transfer of resources, in the form of a highly educated workforce, from developing to more developed countries. The tendency for migration leads to the activation of informational behaviour. The aim of this study was to search for the main causes of emigration of Greek medical doctors while their country suffers from an economic crisis. Methods: A cross-sectional study using a quantitative sampling method in the form of questionnaires was performed. These questionnaires were answered by 143 doctors working in the National Health System in the city of Ioannina in north-western Greece. Correlations between the examined parameters and predictive factors of immigration trend were recorded. Results: A total of 85% of the respondents were dissatisfied with their wage, only 30% were sure that they would keep their current job and nearly 52% of them answered negatively to questions regarding their professional development. Only 33% of the physicians were negatively disposed towards moving abroad. Most of them were permanent personnel. Unsatisfactory wages, job uncertainty, non-permanent working status and low professional development opportunities were correlated with the phenomenon of immigration (all p

Pseudorabies virus (PRV) is the causative agent for Aujeszky’s disease, a disease that mainly affects pigs and incidentally other domestic and wild animals. While PRV is almost always fatal, causing neurological disease independently of the age in non-porcine species, the development of neurological manifestation in its host species, the pig, highly depends on the age. In this study, an attempt was made to investigate the effect of nerve development on the outcome of virus infection and the effect of virus infection on the structure of nerves in piglets of various ages. For that reason, 42 pigs at the age of one (n = 14), three (n = 14) and five (n = 14) weeks were inoculated with 107 TCID50 of PRV Kaplan strain and euthanized at one- or four-days post inoculation (DPI). The tissues of the trigeminal nervous pathway were collected and examined for virus replication (titration) in cell cultures for nerve morphology by light and transmission electron microscopy, and for viral antigen visualization by immunohistochemistry. The results showed that as the age of the pig increases, virus titers and clinical manifestations reduced, while, at the same time, myelin and axon development ceased. Following infection, the nerve structure was disrupted at all ages examined, being more prominent in one-week-old pigs compared to five-week-old pigs. In conclusion, the age-dependent PRV neuroinvasion in pigs seems to correlate with the morphological changes of neurons.

Abstract Background Increased digitalization of healthcare comes along with the cost of cybercrime proliferation. This results to patients’ and healthcare providers' skepticism to adopt Health Information Technologies (HIT). In Europe, this shortcoming hampers efficient cross-border health data exchange, which requires a holistic, secure and interoperable framework. This study aimed to provide the foundations for designing a secure and interoperable toolkit for cross-border health data exchange within the European Union (EU), conducted in the scope of the KONFIDO project. Particularly, we present our user requirements engineering methodology and the obtained results, driving the technical design of the KONFIDO toolkit. Methods Our methodology relied on four pillars: (a) a gap analysis study, reviewing a range of relevant projects/initiatives, technologies as well as cybersecurity strategies for HIT interoperability and cybersecurity; (b) the definition of user scenarios with major focus on cross-border health data exchange in the three pilot countries of the project; (c) a user requirements elicitation phase containing a threat analysis of the business processes entailed in the user scenarios, and (d) surveying and discussing with key stakeholders, aiming to validate the obtained outcomes and identify barriers and facilitators for HIT adoption linked with cybersecurity and interoperability. Results According to the gap analysis outcomes, full adherence with information security standards is currently not universally met. Sustainability plans shall be defined for adapting existing/evolving frameworks to the state-of-the-art. Overall, lack of integration in a holistic security approach was clearly identified. For each user scenario, we concluded with a comprehensive workflow, highlighting challenges and open issues for their application in our pilot sites. The threat analysis resulted in a set of 30 user goals in total, documented in detail. Finally, indicative barriers of HIT acceptance include lack of awareness regarding HIT risks and legislations, lack of a security-oriented culture and management commitment, as well as usability constraints, while important facilitators concern the adoption of standards and current efforts for a common EU legislation framework. Conclusions Our study provides important insights to address secure and interoperable health data exchange, while our methodological framework constitutes a paradigm for investigating diverse cybersecurity-related risks in the health sector.

Abstract Background Nivolumab is approved for the treatment of refractory metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Patterns and predictors of progressive disease (PD) on nivolumab, and outcomes in such patients are lacking. Methods A retrospective analysis of patients (pts) with metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) who received nivolumab at Cleveland Clinic (2015–2017) was performed. PD was defined per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) v1.1 or clinical progression as per treating physician. Univariate analyses (UVA) and multivariate analyses (MVA) were used to identify clinical and laboratory markers as potential predictors of progression-free survival (PFS). Results Ninety patients with mean age of 65, 74% men, and 83% good or intermediate International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium (IMDC) risk group were included. Median number of prior systemic treatments was 2 (range, 1–6). Median overall survival (OS) and PFS were 15.8 and 4.4 months, respectively. Fifty-seven patients (63%) had PD and 44% of patients with radiographic PD had new organ sites of metastases with brain (8/23, 35%) being the most common. Twelve patients received treatment beyond progression (TBP), and among 6 patients with available data, 3 (50%) had any tumor shrinkage (2 pts. with 17% shrinkage, one pt. with 29% shrinkage). Of 57 patients with PD, 28 patients (49%) were able to initiate subsequent treatment, mainly with axitinib and cabozantinib, while 40% of patients were transitioned to hospice after PD. In MVA, a higher baseline Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte ratio (NLR) (HR, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.05–3.29; p = 0.033) was associated with an increased risk of progression, whereas higher (> 0.1 k/uL) baseline eosinophil count was associated with a lower risk of progression (HR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.30–0.98; p = 0.042). Conclusion Brain was the most common site of PD in patients treated with nivolumab, and only half of patients progressing on nivolumab were able to initiate subsequent treatment. The risk of PD increased with a higher baseline NLR and reduced with a higher baseline eosinophil count.

Organisational justice is a key component in the practice of human resources management in any work environment. The aim of this research survey is to highlight the meaning and importance of organisational justice and its impact on employee engagement. To achieve this aim, except for the literature review, the survey examines the extent to which the distributive, procedural and interactional justice impact on work and organisational engagement, through a research in a certain Greek public organisation. As regards the statistical analysis of the research hypotheses, we used methods of the SPSS 17.00 statistical package. The results showed that the distributive justice significantly impacts on both types of engagement, while no effect was detected between procedural justice and the two types of engagement. The interactional justice was found to determine, partly, only the organisational engagement. The findings overwhelmingly verified the existing bibliographical references, resulting in a noteworthy empirical precedent which could contribute to the field concerning the impact that organisational justice exerts on certain aspects of organisational behaviour.