Background Ewing sarcomas (ES) are malignant mesenchymal neoplasms composed of blue small round c... more Background Ewing sarcomas (ES) are malignant mesenchymal neoplasms composed of blue small round cells. Ewing sarcomas genetically are characterized mainly by the translocation t(11;22)(q24;q12), which creates EWS/FLI1 fusion gene. These translocations require Double Strand Break (DSB) formation and subsequent dysfunctional repair. BRCAness and HR deficiency have been reported in ES and clinical trials targeting DSB repair are currently ongoing. Methods We have studied the expression of Non-Homologous End Joining (NHEJ) and Homologous Recombination (HR) genes in 32 cases of Ewing sarcoma. Baseline clinicopathological characteristics were recorded from the medical files. The expression of the following genes XRCC4, XRCC5, XRCC6, Pol λ, Pol m, Lig4, RAD51, RAD52, RAD54, BRCA1, BRCA2, FRANCC, FRANCD, DNMT1 and BRIT1 was analyzed with Real-Time PCR. Samples from healthy blood donors were used as controls. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS Anova. Results Nine genes out of the 15 studied showed statistically significant results. XRCC5, XRCC6, Polm, lig4 from the NHEJ DNA repair mechanism and RAD51, RAD52, RAD54, BRCA2 and FRANCD from the HR DNA repair mechanism were upregulated. Interestingly, several parts of both DSB repair mechanisms seem to be dysfunctional highlighting the involvement of NHEJ and HR in the oncogenesis of ES. Conclusions Genes involved both to NHEJ and HR show statistically important differences in their expression in Ewing sarcoma tumor samples. DSB repair mechanisms seem to be upregulated in a manner that supports the reported articles implying that it could be a potentially important target for new therapeutic approach to these lethal tumors. Legal entity responsible for the study The authors. Funding Hellenic Society of Medical Oncology. Disclosure All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.
Journal of dance medicine & science : official publication of the International Association for Dance Medicine & Science, Jun 1, 2012
This study investigated how the dancer's level of expertise and the type ... more This study investigated how the dancer's level of expertise and the type of auditory guidance provided influence the kinematic profile of the lower limbs during traditional dance performance. Ten experts in traditional Greek dance (age: 25±3.29 years, five males and five females) and eleven novice participants (age: 26.45±3.88 years, six males and five females), all Greek natives, performed a series of Greek and Irish dance steps with auditory guidance of the metrics (verbal counting) and the music of the respective dances. An electromagnetic tracking system sampled (at 100 Hz) the angular displacement of the two lower legs about the Mediolateral axis during dance performance. Segment rotations were analyzed in the time and frequency domain. Expert dancers displayed significantly lower variability of lower leg rotation and stronger interlimb coupling when compared to novice performers. In novice performers, the power of the lower limb angular displacement extended to higher frequencies when dance performance was guided by music compared to metrical guidance. The addition of music and the origin of the dance interfered with performance for novices but not experienced dancers. Kinematic analysis of the lower limbs may open a new window for the investigation of learning and auditory guidance effects on dance performance.
<p>Signals used for constructing stimuli motion: Lorenz attractor (a), brown noise (b) and ... more <p>Signals used for constructing stimuli motion: Lorenz attractor (a), brown noise (b) and sine (c)</p
<p>Performance (red line)–target (blue line) curves plotted for the three stimuli motions o... more <p>Performance (red line)–target (blue line) curves plotted for the three stimuli motions of a representative trial</p
<p>Force-target (a) and gaze-target (b) coherence for different stimuli motions and sway di... more <p>Force-target (a) and gaze-target (b) coherence for different stimuli motions and sway directions.</p
<p>Force-target (a) and gaze-target (b) Cross Approximate Entropy for different stimuli mot... more <p>Force-target (a) and gaze-target (b) Cross Approximate Entropy for different stimuli motions and sway directions.</p
We examined the nature of interpersonal synchrony mediated by light touch when individuals rhythm... more We examined the nature of interpersonal synchrony mediated by light touch when individuals rhythmically sway side by side at their own pace, same or different externally imposed tempos. Three types of couples participated in two experiments; dancer couples, non dancer couples, and mixed couples. Spectral analysis of the sway signals revealed that fingertip touch evoked interpersonal synchronization during self-paced sway. During metronome paced sway only dancers further increased synchronization suggesting a more efficient integration of tactile and timing cues. In a subsequent experiment, we asked whether dancers are able to suppress the spontaneous tendency towards entrainment when the two partners sway at different tempos. Touch evoked interpersonal entrainment only in mixed couples whereas touch interference was weaker in novices and absent in experts. All together, these results suggest that light fingertip touch evokes spontaneous interpersonal entrainment that is stronger whe...
This preliminary study examined the effect of a 10-wk traditional Greek dance program on static a... more This preliminary study examined the effect of a 10-wk traditional Greek dance program on static and dynamic balance indices in healthy elderly adults. Twenty-six community-dwelling older adults were randomly assigned to either an intervention group who took supervised Greek traditional dance classes for 10 wk (1 hr, 2 sessions/week, n = 14), or a control group (n = 12). Balance was assessed pre- and postintervention by recording the center-of-pressure (COP) variations and trunk kinematics during performance of the Sharpened-Romberg test, 1-leg (OL) stance, and dynamic weight shifting (WS). After practice, the dance group significantly decreased COP displacement and trunk sway in OL stance. A significant increase in the range of trunk rotation was noted during performance of dynamic WS in the sagittal and frontal planes. These findings support the use of traditional dance as an effective means of physical activity for improving static and dynamic balance control in the elderly.
Background Ewing sarcomas (ES) are malignant mesenchymal neoplasms composed of blue small round c... more Background Ewing sarcomas (ES) are malignant mesenchymal neoplasms composed of blue small round cells. Ewing sarcomas genetically are characterized mainly by the translocation t(11;22)(q24;q12), which creates EWS/FLI1 fusion gene. These translocations require Double Strand Break (DSB) formation and subsequent dysfunctional repair. BRCAness and HR deficiency have been reported in ES and clinical trials targeting DSB repair are currently ongoing. Methods We have studied the expression of Non-Homologous End Joining (NHEJ) and Homologous Recombination (HR) genes in 32 cases of Ewing sarcoma. Baseline clinicopathological characteristics were recorded from the medical files. The expression of the following genes XRCC4, XRCC5, XRCC6, Pol λ, Pol m, Lig4, RAD51, RAD52, RAD54, BRCA1, BRCA2, FRANCC, FRANCD, DNMT1 and BRIT1 was analyzed with Real-Time PCR. Samples from healthy blood donors were used as controls. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS Anova. Results Nine genes out of the 15 studied showed statistically significant results. XRCC5, XRCC6, Polm, lig4 from the NHEJ DNA repair mechanism and RAD51, RAD52, RAD54, BRCA2 and FRANCD from the HR DNA repair mechanism were upregulated. Interestingly, several parts of both DSB repair mechanisms seem to be dysfunctional highlighting the involvement of NHEJ and HR in the oncogenesis of ES. Conclusions Genes involved both to NHEJ and HR show statistically important differences in their expression in Ewing sarcoma tumor samples. DSB repair mechanisms seem to be upregulated in a manner that supports the reported articles implying that it could be a potentially important target for new therapeutic approach to these lethal tumors. Legal entity responsible for the study The authors. Funding Hellenic Society of Medical Oncology. Disclosure All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.
Journal of dance medicine & science : official publication of the International Association for Dance Medicine & Science, Jun 1, 2012
This study investigated how the dancer&amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s level of expertise and the type ... more This study investigated how the dancer&amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s level of expertise and the type of auditory guidance provided influence the kinematic profile of the lower limbs during traditional dance performance. Ten experts in traditional Greek dance (age: 25±3.29 years, five males and five females) and eleven novice participants (age: 26.45±3.88 years, six males and five females), all Greek natives, performed a series of Greek and Irish dance steps with auditory guidance of the metrics (verbal counting) and the music of the respective dances. An electromagnetic tracking system sampled (at 100 Hz) the angular displacement of the two lower legs about the Mediolateral axis during dance performance. Segment rotations were analyzed in the time and frequency domain. Expert dancers displayed significantly lower variability of lower leg rotation and stronger interlimb coupling when compared to novice performers. In novice performers, the power of the lower limb angular displacement extended to higher frequencies when dance performance was guided by music compared to metrical guidance. The addition of music and the origin of the dance interfered with performance for novices but not experienced dancers. Kinematic analysis of the lower limbs may open a new window for the investigation of learning and auditory guidance effects on dance performance.
<p>Signals used for constructing stimuli motion: Lorenz attractor (a), brown noise (b) and ... more <p>Signals used for constructing stimuli motion: Lorenz attractor (a), brown noise (b) and sine (c)</p
<p>Performance (red line)–target (blue line) curves plotted for the three stimuli motions o... more <p>Performance (red line)–target (blue line) curves plotted for the three stimuli motions of a representative trial</p
<p>Force-target (a) and gaze-target (b) coherence for different stimuli motions and sway di... more <p>Force-target (a) and gaze-target (b) coherence for different stimuli motions and sway directions.</p
<p>Force-target (a) and gaze-target (b) Cross Approximate Entropy for different stimuli mot... more <p>Force-target (a) and gaze-target (b) Cross Approximate Entropy for different stimuli motions and sway directions.</p
We examined the nature of interpersonal synchrony mediated by light touch when individuals rhythm... more We examined the nature of interpersonal synchrony mediated by light touch when individuals rhythmically sway side by side at their own pace, same or different externally imposed tempos. Three types of couples participated in two experiments; dancer couples, non dancer couples, and mixed couples. Spectral analysis of the sway signals revealed that fingertip touch evoked interpersonal synchronization during self-paced sway. During metronome paced sway only dancers further increased synchronization suggesting a more efficient integration of tactile and timing cues. In a subsequent experiment, we asked whether dancers are able to suppress the spontaneous tendency towards entrainment when the two partners sway at different tempos. Touch evoked interpersonal entrainment only in mixed couples whereas touch interference was weaker in novices and absent in experts. All together, these results suggest that light fingertip touch evokes spontaneous interpersonal entrainment that is stronger whe...
This preliminary study examined the effect of a 10-wk traditional Greek dance program on static a... more This preliminary study examined the effect of a 10-wk traditional Greek dance program on static and dynamic balance indices in healthy elderly adults. Twenty-six community-dwelling older adults were randomly assigned to either an intervention group who took supervised Greek traditional dance classes for 10 wk (1 hr, 2 sessions/week, n = 14), or a control group (n = 12). Balance was assessed pre- and postintervention by recording the center-of-pressure (COP) variations and trunk kinematics during performance of the Sharpened-Romberg test, 1-leg (OL) stance, and dynamic weight shifting (WS). After practice, the dance group significantly decreased COP displacement and trunk sway in OL stance. A significant increase in the range of trunk rotation was noted during performance of dynamic WS in the sagittal and frontal planes. These findings support the use of traditional dance as an effective means of physical activity for improving static and dynamic balance control in the elderly.
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Papers by George Sofianidis