Greek Scientist May Have Found Genetic Cause of Gigantism

A team of US researchers led by Greek-American Constantine Stratakis, discovered a gene associated with the excessive growth in children, known as gigantism. The team hopes that their discovery may play a significant role in finding a treatment for the disease.

The National Institutes of Health researchers, published their work in the medical journal “New England Journal of Medicine.”

During their research they analyzed the DNA of 43 people with gigantism and made a comparative analysis of their genome. They found a duplication of a short X chromosome region in people who suffer from overgrowth and then attempted to identify which specific gene within this region was responsible for the excessive growth of children with gigantism.

City of Trikala to test first driverless buses!

The Greek city of Trikala, located in central Greece with a population of about 76,000 was selected as the first in the world to test driverless buses in an urban environment, as part of the CityMobil2, a pilot program for automated road transport systems.

The news of the city’s selection were announced by Christoforos Rombos, the head of the municipality company e-Trikala SA that will be responsible for the project.

Greek businesswoman named Manager of the Year 2014 by TUV Nord

She has been in the vanguard of the German business world for several years now and is a paradigm for the Greek diaspora.

Dr Virginia Green (nee Virginia Giovanoudi), founder and managing director of ENCOS, was named Manager of the Year for 2014 by TUV Nord, a group of multinationals with 10,000 workers in 70 countries which provides security and certification services.

Green emigrated to Germany from the northern Greek border town of Didymoteicho at the age of 18 and studied chemical technology at the University of Dortmund. She took her first professional steps at the Esso petroleum company before embarking on a PhD while a mother of two. After years of working as a top-flight executive at various firms, Green decided to go it alone.

Greek App ‘Togethera’ In Apple’s Top 10

A Greek software developer’s idea has reached Apple’s top ten list of best applications.

The application, named “Togethera,” launched by Sokrates Papafloratos who lives in London, UK, was picked among new applications proposed by developers from 116 different countries.

Papafloratos spoke to Greek television noting that his idea was generated by his own need to share photos and videos with his family quickly, easily and without any hacking danger.

Greek researcher close to a breakthrough in Alzheimer’s diagnosis

“We are close to developing a blood test that will be able to detect Alzheimer’s before clinical diagnosis is possible,” says Dimitrios Kapogiannis, a neuroscientist at the National Institute on Aging and professor at Johns Hopkins University in the US state of Maryland, who unveiled the results of his research to the public last week. The new method promises to detect the disease as many as 10 years before the first symptoms appear.

Piraeus Containter Terminal goes from strength to strength

Piraeus Container Terminal, the local subsidiary of Chinese giant Cosco Pacific, is expected to handle a total of over 3 million containers in the January-December period of this year.

The January-November data that Cosco released earlier this week showed that the total number of containers that went through PCT-operated terminals II and III in Piraeus amounted to 2.73 million, against 2.28 million in the same period last year, which constitutes an annual increase of 19.7 percent. November alone showed a 12.4 increase from the same month in 2013, reaching 255,900 containers.

Celtic fan Jay Beatty invited to Greece for award

Jay Beatty, the little Celtic fan who became an internet hit when he was seen on social media sites cheering on his hero Georgios Samaras in the World Cup, has been invited to Greece to pick up a top sports award.

Jay - who has Down’s syndrome - travelled from his home in County Armagh, Northern Ireland to watch the striker as he played his final game for the club at the end of last season and Samaras was delighted to have him there cheering him on.

33 Reasons Why Athens Is The Next Big Thing! (photos)

Athens is once again on the rise. Dealt a black eye during the financial crisis and the ensuing media coverage of the unrest, the country has pulled itself together and its capital has never been more lively. 

With visitor numbers back up, a recent New York Times article touting the town, and a new campaign to make curious tourists feel more at home (#ImAnAthenian), Athens has regained its confidence and is ready to show the world why this city is the next big thing.

Γείτονες ξαναφτιάχνουν το μαγαζάκι των μεταναστών που κάηκε στο Ηράκλειο

Την περασμένη εβδομάδα το μαγαζί που διατηρούσε μετανάστης από το Μπαγκλαντές στο Ηράκλειο της Κρήτης στην οδό Γιαμπουδή, έγινε στάχτη μετά από φωτιά που ξέσπασε τις πρώτες πρωινές ώρες.

Τα αίτια της πυρκαγιάς παραμένουν ακόμη άγνωστα, ενώ προανάκριση διενεργεί το ανακριτικό τμήμα της Πυροσβεστικής, που εξετάζει και το ενδεχόμενο εμπρησμού με ρατσιστικά κίνητρα.

Οι γείτονες, ωστόσο, πήραν την πρωτοβουλία να φτιάξουν από την αρχή το μίνι μάρκετ. Καθάρισαν τις στάχτες και τα αποκαΐδια και πλέον το «μαγαζάκι» -όπως το αποκαλούν- είναι έτοιμο για την ανακαίνιση.

Dimitris ‘DK’ Kyrsanidis Wins Red Bull Art of Motion Santorini 2014! (video)

Local hero Dimitris Kyrsanidis (GRE) seized victory at Red Bull Art of Motion 2014 by beating 17 of the world’s best freerunning athletes on Santorini’s urban track. Pavel Petkuns (LAT) came second and Alexander Baiturin (RUS) finished third to grab the two remaining podium spots.

It was a winning run full of creative tricks and fluid movements from Kyrsanidis who gave a world-class performance above the whitewashed stone roofs of Santorini to impress the judges. A crowd of 1,500 spectators celebrated the 19-year-old winning the fourth edition of freerunning’s most celebrated title. The shock result saw two-time champion Pavel Petkuns pushed into second place.