Biomedical research productivity and economic crisis in Greece: a 22-year study

This article aims to study the effect of the current financial crisis (2010–2017) on biomedical productivity and impact of Greece-affiliated investigators. PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science were searched for articles published in biomedical journals with at least one Greek affiliation during the period 1995–2016 (date of last search October 19, 2017). The impact of Greek articles was the citations received by published articles during the first 2 years following the year of publication adjusted to the number of Greek and global articles. A discrepancy in the absolute article productivity between the databases was observed: a mean annual increase before the crisis was observed in all databases, while after the crisis the increase persisted in PubMed, in Scopus a decline was observed and in the Web of Science a smaller increase was observed. The changes in relative productivity were similar for both study periods in all databases (increasing before and decreasing after crisis, p?<?0.001 for trend in both periods). A continuous increase in total citations in both periods was observed (mean 2347?±?1622 before and 2627?±?3374 after the crisis). A continuous increase in the impact indices following adjustment for Greek (mean annual increase 0.27?±?0.30 before to 0.37?±?0.62 during the crisis, p?=?0.58) and global productivity (mean annual increase from 0.0024?±?0.0018 to 0.0007?±?0.004, p?=?0.95) was observed throughout the study period. In conclusion, the decline observed in the relative productivity of Greek affiliated articles during crisis compared to the period before was not reflected in their impact.     

Single product,finite horizon,periodic review inventory model with working capital requirements and short-term debt

In this paper, we build on a single product, finite horizon, periodic review inventory management setting and include key financial aspects such as working capital constraints, payment delays and multiple sources of financing. We numerically solve for the optimal working capital target and the order-up-to level using an embedded Nelder and Mead optimization, and we perform sensitivity analysis on cash flows and short-term debt levels. Our numerical experiments show that when access to short-term debt is granted, the expected cash flows are indeed fairly insensitive to varying short-term debt premiums. However, when short-term debt becomes prohibitive or when downstream payment delays increase, the required working capital target inflates rapidly.     

Selective extraction of zinc and iron from passivating baths

In this work, the viability study of the removal of zinc and iron from chromium (III) passivating baths is presented. The Emulsion Pertraction Technology (EPT), a liquid-liquid extraction process performed in membrane contactors has been applied. Real passivating baths with the following metal concentrations have been tested: Zn, 7000 mg/L; Fe, 30 mg/L and Cr, 5500 mg/L respectively. After the EPT treatment and at the applied experimental conditions, these concentrations were decreased to 2450 mg/L of Zn and 4 mg/L of Fe, while the chromium concentration was maintained approximately at the initial value. The EPT process allowed the simultaneous recovery of Zn in a concentrated stripping phase. The influence of the pH of the feed phase strongly affected the kinetics of metals removal. A value of pH = 2.5 allowed to attain the required high selectivity values of α_Zn/Cr.     

Modelling the Effects of Groundwater-Based Urban Supply in Low-Permeability Aquifers: Application to the Madrid Aquifer, Spain

The European Union Water Framework Directive establishes the obligation to all Member States to develop and implement catchment-scale management plans. These aim at reaching a good status of all water bodies in Member States by 2015 or, at the latest, by 2027. Numerical models provide a suitable approach to evaluate the possibilities of achieving this goal by enabling users to deal with complex hydrological interrelations in a dynamic manner. This paper presents a modelling-based approach to examine the past and future effects of groundwater-based urban supply in Metropolitan Madrid, Spain. Monthly scale model calibration is based on 32 years of water table observations. Care is taken to address the effect of intensive pumping on groundwater levels and streamflows, as well as the role of groundwater resources in meeting urban demands during dry spells. The paper concludes by reflecting on the implications and probabilities of meeting the aforementioned deadlines, as well as on the sustainability of past and future pumping trends. Policy considerations aside, modelling results suggest that groundwater extractions could be augmented considerably without causing a significant decrease in streamflows.     

Effects of work–family conflict on employees’ well-being: The moderating role of recovery strategies.

Based on the effort-recovery model, this study links work–family conflict (WFC) and family–work conflict (FWC) with the concept of recovery. The authors hypothesize that 2 recovery strategies—psychological detachment from work and verbal expression of emotions—moderate the relationship of these 2 types of conflict with 2 indicators of well-being, namely psychological strain and life satisfaction. For our sample of 128 emergency professionals from Spain, psychological detachment from work moderated the relationship between WFC and psychological strain, and between FWC and life satisfaction. Verbal expression of emotions moderated the relationship between both types of conflict and psychological strain. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Optimization of pelletisation and combustion in a boiler of 17.5 kWth for vine shoots and industrial cork residue

Wood pellets have become an important renewable energy fuel. Nowadays the main raw materials used for their production are wood wastes from wood industries. However, these wood wastes have other uses in Spain and it is necessary to look for other possible raw materials. In this work, vine shoots and industrial cork residue were studied as raw materials. The results showed that pelletisation of vine shoots presented a high energy demand. This energy requirement was reduced with the addition of industrial cork residue. Moreover, industrial cork residue decreased the ash content of pellets and increased their heating value, although it decreased their physical properties at the same time. Regarding combustion, the addition of industrial cork residue decreased the accumulation of ash in the pellet burner and its sintering tendency. The major conclusion of the work is that the most appropriate blend to improve pelletisation and combustion processes is 30% wt. of vine shoots and 70% wt. of industrial cork residue.     

Effect of heterophasic or random PP copolymer on the compatibility mechanism between EVA and PP copolymers

Compatibility mechanisms between EVA and PP copolymers (C‐PP) blends have been studied as a function of the type of copolymer, using a heterophasic PP copolymer (PP‐EP) and a random PP copolymer (PP‐r‐EP), with similar ethylene content. The morphology and thermal and mechanical properties of PP/EVA blends with different levels of EVA containing 28% vinyl acetate (VA) were determined. The obtained results indicated compatibility for both systems showing interactions at the amorphous interfaces; however, this interaction was higher for the PP‐r‐EP/EVA, which showed a single glass transition temperature and changes in the PP crystalline fraction (changes in the fusion temperature and in the diffraction patterns). The evolution of the morphology from isolated spherical domains (20% EVA) to elongated shapes (40% EVA) was related to the observed changes in thermal and mechanical properties. The impact strength and deformation properties showed significant improvement with increasing EVA content above 40% where the highest values of elongation for the PP‐r‐EPand of impact strength for the PP‐EP were obtained. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Comparative analysis of adrenomedullin-like immunoreactivity in the hypothalamus of amphibians.

Adrenomedullin (AM) is a novel neuropeptide with special significance in the mammalian hypothalamo-hypophysial axis. By using an antiserum specific for human AM, we have studied the localization of AM-like immunoreactive (AMi) cell bodies and fibers in the hypothalamus and hypophysis of the amphibians Rana perezi (anuran), Pleurodeles waltl (urodele), and Dermophis mexicanus (gymnophionan). Distinct AMi cell groups were found for each species. In the anuran, six cell groups were localized in the preoptic and infundibular regions, whereas only three and one were found in the urodele and gymnophionan, respectively. A comparative analysis of AMi cells and cells expressing arginine vasotocin (AVT), neuropeptide Y (NPY), and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) revealed strong differences between species. Thus, colocalization of AVT/AM is most likely to occur in the preoptic magnocellular nucleus of urodeles and it is reflected by the intense AM immunoreactivity in the neural lobe of the hypophysis. Colocalization of NPY/AM seems to be possible in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of anurans. In the gymnophionan, cells containing AVT and NPY are distinct from AMi cells. Only in anurans, the ventral aspect of the suprachiasmatic nucleus possesses a small population of AMi cells that express also TH immunoreactivity and most likely also express NPY. The results strongly suggest that AM in amphibians plays an important regulatory role in the hypothalamo-hypophysial system, as has been demonstrated in mammals. On the other hand, substantial differences have been found between species with respect to the degree of colocalization with other chemical substances.     

Hybrid electrochemical biosensor for organophosphorus pesticides quantification

An electrochemical biosensor for organophosphorus (OP) pesticides trace level concentrations determination was developed and characterized. It integrates a hybrid biorecognition element consisting of immobilized Arthrobacter globiformis and free acetylcholinesterase (ACh) with a Clark type oxygen probe transducer. The bacteria convert the ACh-generated choline to betaine with oxygen consumption measured as a Clark probe current change. This change representing the sensor response correlates to the concentration of the OP pesticides inhibiting the Ach-catalyzed acetylcholine hydrolysis to choline. The conditions for maximal sensor response to choline were optimized according to the methodology of design of experiments. The analytical performances of the enzyme substrate determination in a wide concentration range (0.1-20 μmol dm⁻³ of acetylcholine) and different ACh activities were established. It was demonstrated that the biosensor ensures reproducible, accurate and reliable chlorophos quantification reaching a limit of detection (LOD) of 1 nmol dm⁻³ and a sensitivity of 0.0252 μA/p(mol dm⁻³) under optimal experimental conditions. The biosensor response time is 200 s and the storage stability is t_L50 = 49 days for the bacterial membrane at ambient temperature. The device is reusable, the bacterial membrane being not affected by OP. The biosensor was applied to chlorophos determination in contaminated milk.