Publications by authors named "M Giannakou"

Background: The main goal of the study was to find the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) parameters that optimize contrast between tissue and thermal lesions produced by focused ultrasound (FUS) using T1-weighted (T1-W) and T2-weighted (T2-W) fast spin echo (FSE) sequences.

Methods: FUS sonications were performed in porcine tissue using a single-element FUS transducer of 2.6 MHz in 1.

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Background: Cu/Zn Superoxide Dismutase 1 (SOD1) is a 32 kDa cytosolic dimeric metalloenzyme that neutralizes superoxide anions into oxygen and hydrogen peroxide. Mutations in SOD1 are associated with ALS, a disease causing motor neuron atrophy and subsequent mortality. These mutations exert their harmful effects through a gain of function mechanism, rather than a loss of function.

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Article Synopsis
  • Predator-prey models can show resonance-like behavior, where random population fluctuations become amplified when their timing aligns with the system's natural oscillation frequency.
  • This study introduces a more realistic approach where organisms replicate quasi-synchronously, creating a narrower distribution of replication times compared to traditional models with random (Poissonian) replication.
  • The results indicate that when replication frequency matches the model's natural oscillatory frequency, the system experiences stronger population oscillations, leading to quicker instability and potential extinction of one species compared to the random replication model.
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We investigate the effect of polydispersity on the properties of curved linear brushes in good solvent and for molten brushes. To this end, we extend the strong stretching theory for polydisperse brushes to curved geometries and investigate the polymer chain end profiles, bending moduli and other properties for experimentally relevant polymer chain length distributions of the Schulz-Zimm type. We also investigate the properties of end exclusion zones that may appear in convex geometries under certain conditions and show that their position in the brush can be engineered by careful selection of the polymer length distribution.

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Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease with severe socio-economic impact. A hallmark of ALS pathology is the presence of aberrant cytoplasmic inclusions composed of misfolded and aggregated proteins, including both wild-type and mutant forms. This review highlights the critical role of misfolded protein species in ALS pathogenesis, particularly focusing on Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) and TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43), and emphasizes the urgent need for innovative therapeutic strategies targeting these misfolded proteins directly.

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