Hellenic Military Academy

About: Hellenic Military Academy is a education organization based out in Voula, Greece. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Complex space & Jacobi operator. The organization has 36 authors who have published 97 publications receiving 541 citations.

Systemic geopolitical modeling. Part 1: prediction of geopolitical events

Abstract: We give two general mathematical models predicting geopolitical events into a geopolitical system according to Mazis’ lakatosian formulation methodology for a Systemic Geopolitical Analysis. To this end, we consider weighted geopolitical indices and their measurements. When the weighted geopolitical indices, as well as the related geopolitical measurements take values in different times and different geographical points, then they form two sets in the four-dimensional Euclidean space. The distance between these sets can be considered as a measure for assessing the occurrence or not of a geopolitical event. To this direction, we give general frameworks of two algorithms for determining the time moments and geographical points at which is expected the appearance of peculiar geopolitical events.

The talk scandal as mediatized event and communicative resource in far-right populist talk

Abstract: This paper examines the discursive realizations and media representations of scandalous talk with reference to a scandalous 2018 parliamentary speech performance by a representative of the far-right Golden Dawn (GD) party in Greece. By examining the recontextualization of the talk scandal in on-line news articles, it is shown that the original speech event gives rise to other speech events related to it, creating a ‘talk scandal universe’. Viewing talk scandals as building blocks upon which engaging media narratives are built, it is argued that they can serve as communicative resources in far-right populist performances, enacting a clean break with established norms and values of the political establishment. Moreover, talk scandals project perpetrators as candid, outspoken and defiant of the status quo, even in the face of damaging face or suffering legal penalties. Finally, as scandalous utterances and subsequent retractions contain political positioning statements, talk scandals in effect help spread and reproduce populist agendas.

Cheminformatics and virtual screening studies of COMT inhibitors as potential Parkinson’s disease therapeutics

Abstract: Introduction: Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative central nervous system (CNS) disorder characterized by dopaminergic neuron degeneration with consequent reduction in striatal dopamine (DA) levels that leads to motor symptoms. Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT, E.C 2.1.1.6) inactivates dopamine and other substrates bearing catechol through the methylation of a hydroxyl group. COMT inhibition can block metabolism of catecholamines including DA. Since the increase in DA bioavailability is dependent on the inhibition of DA metabolism at the periphery, the development of COMT inhibitors as adjuvants to levodopa/aromatic amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) inhibitor treatment improves the clinical benefits of PD symptomatic treatment significantly.Areas covered: This review focuses on the contribution of computational studies to develop novel COMT inhibitors as therapeutics of Parkinson's disease with substantially improved efficacy.Expert opinion: The increasing use of in silico methods and the development of new chemoinformatic tools in combination with the knowledge gained from the development of different inhibitors studied both in silico, in vitro and in vivo, could help solve a number of issues related to the shortcomings of currently marketed treatments. They can also aid to open new avenues for centrally acting COMT inhibitors, and perhaps irreversible inhibitors, to be tested for PD and other neurological diseases.

Pressure distension in leg vessels as influenced by prolonged bed rest and a pressure habituation regimen

Abstract: Bed rest increases pressure distension in arteries, arterioles, and veins of the leg. We hypothesized that bed-rest-induced deconditioning of leg vessels is governed by the removal of the local increments in transmural pressure induced by assuming erect posture and, therefore, can be counteracted by intermittently increasing local transmural pressure during the bed rest. Ten men underwent 5 wk of horizontal bed rest. A subatmospheric pressure (-90 mmHg) was intermittently applied to one lower leg [pressure habituation (PH) leg]. Vascular pressure distension was investigated before and after the bed rest, both in the PH and control (CN) leg by increasing local distending pressure, stepwise up to +200 mmHg. Vessel diameter and blood flow were measured in the posterior tibial artery and vessel diameter in the posterior tibial vein. In the CN leg, bed rest led to 5-fold and 2.7-fold increments (P < 0.01) in tibial artery pressure-distension and flow responses, respectively, and to a 2-fold increase in tibial vein pressure distension. In the PH leg, arterial pressure-distension and flow responses were unaffected by bed rest, whereas bed rest led to a 1.5-fold increase in venous pressure distension. It thus appears that bed-rest-induced deconditioning of leg arteries, arterioles, and veins is caused by removal of gravity-dependent local pressure loads and may be abolished or alleviated by a local pressure-habituation regimen.

Spatial Planning and Regional Growth: A Benchmarking Study for North-South Aegean and Crete

Abstract: Spatial Planning focuses on planning and management of space, as a core axis towards sustainable development, as well as balanced sustainable development, closely related with economic determining factors, such as productivity, economic environment, investments and competitiveness. This paper attempts to analyze spatial planning framework and its contribution towards sustainable regional development. More precisely, this paper analyses the case studies of the region of the North Aegean and South Aegean, especially the islands of Lesvos, Rhodes, and Crete.