City In Greece Research Articles

Exploring patterns of surface urban heat island intensity: a comparative analysis of three Greek urban areas

One of the most pressing issues of our time is the destabilization of the global climate as a result of rapid urbanization. In Europe, according to United Nations reports, almost 73% of the population lives in cities and this percentage is expected to rise to 85% by 2050 (United Nations and Department of Economic and Social Affairs, ‘World Urbanization Prospects 2018 Highlights’, 2018). This observed urban development and its trends pose significant challenges to our urban environments, therefore it is critical to improve our understanding and assess its impact by measuring and analyzing its patterns. This study presents a comprehensive five-year analysis of microclimatic parameters that can contribute to this analysis, such as land surface temperature (LST) and surface urban heat island (SUHI) intensity, using remotely sensed data over three cities in Greece. Specifically, the selected cities are the city of Thessaloniki, which is the second largest city situated in the northern part of Greece, the city of Larissa on the mainland, and finally the city of Tripoli in the Peloponnese peninsula in southern Greece. Each city represents urban areas with different physical and urban characteristics. For this purpose, the vegetation index-based technique for LST extraction was applied within the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform. Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) calculations were also performed over a five-year period. The results highlighted the spatio-temporal variations and trends that occur in the studied urban areas, providing valuable insights into the annual patterns of the SUHI phenomenon in different geographical contexts within Greece. This is particularly relevant in countries like Greece, where the density of World Meteorological Organization (WMO) stations providing reliable temperature data is low, usually limited to one per city. Consequently, LST derived from satellite data can provide more accurate intra-urban results of the SUHI effect, demonstrating the value of remotely sensed data as a cost effective and supportive tool for decision-making in environmental and urban planning policies.

Empowering urban futures: Key competencies for smart city resilience officers

As cities are developing to smart, new systems are utilized that contain a multitude of critical infrastructures. Although these offer major advantages, they are also exposed to new external and frequently uncontrollable factors increasing their risk exposure and enhancing their vulnerability. Therefore, increasing resilience during city development has become a prerequisite for its survival, but continuous resilience improvement led by workforce will help them to prosper. According to researchers, officers should be able to catalogue and prioritize threats and vulnerabilities, but is this only the case? Discrete studies detail and analyze in-depth risks related to smart cities, however, how these risks are addressed by workforce and how these are related to their competencies have not been thoroughly understood to date. If vulnerabilities are not understood and analyzed appropriately by the city workforce and stakeholders, unanticipated consequences and cascading failures may potential occur, even when crises are expected. The objective of this article is to inquire into responsibilities regarding crisis issues concerning the necessary competencies for resilience officers, by exploring current perceptions, expectations and recommendations as these are acknowledged in experts’ opinions and experiences. To do so, a questionnaire was developed and distributed to experts in the field, across various cities in Greece, to indicate responsibilities, and prioritize competencies that resilient officers in smart cities should possess. The findings highlighted significant responsibilities related to managing smart city risks and identified a distinct set of competencies unique to officers in this area, emphasizing the need for targeted efforts to enhance urban resilience through the initiatives led by city officers. This article establishes a clear path for advancing smart city research by highlighting competencies that could be integrated into educational curriculums. These competencies are essential for training a workforce that not only enhances disaster management awareness but also equips cities to handle potential catastrophic events effectively, thereby laying the groundwork for more resilient urban environments.

A Comparative Study on Dialogic Communication Strategies of Preschoolers in Greece and Rwanda

The present research aimed to delve into the communicative profile of children in early childhood education in Greece and Rwanda. More specifically, the study was designed and implemented with the aspiration to examine the communication strategies employed by young children and to explore the potential influence of gender, culture and age on the variation of these strategies among children in Larissa (a city in Greece) and in Kigali (a city in Rwanda, Africa). In the study, 120 children were observed in an attempt to document the communication strategies and further look for differentiations on the basis of their gender, age and cultural background. The study findings indicated that children's communicative repertoire is highly affected by their age and country of origin, while, concerning gender, no statistically significant associations were detected. The results of the research indicate the importance of acknowledging the diverse communication strategies employed by children and implementing a dialogic approach to teaching that accommodates the unique communication requirements of each child.

Prevalence, awareness, and control of hypertension in Greece before and after the COVID-19 pandemic: May Measurement Month survey 2019–2022

ObjectiveThe COVID-19 pandemic had an adverse impact on several cardiovascular risk factors. This study investigated the prevalence, awareness and treatment of hypertension in Greece before and after the pandemic. Data were collected in the context of the May Measurement Month (MMM) global survey initiated by the International Society of Hypertension. MethodsAdult volunteers (age ≥ 18 years) were recruited through opportunistic screening in public areas across cities in Greece in 2019 and 2022. Medical history and triplicate sitting blood pressure (BP) measurements were taken using validated automated upper-arm cuff devices. The data were uploaded to the international MMM cloud platform. Hypertension was defined as systolic BP ≥ 140 mm Hg and/or diastolic ≥90 mm Hg and/or self-reported use of drugs for hypertension. The same threshold was used to define uncontrolled BP in treated individuals. ResultsData from 12,080 adults were collected (5,727/6,353 in MMM 2019/2022; men 46/49%, p < 0.01; mean age 52.7 ± 16.6/54.8 ± 16.2, p < 0.001; smokers, 24.7/30.5, p < 0.001; diabetics 12/11.5%, p = NS; cardiovascular disease 5/5.8%, p = NS). The prevalence of hypertension was 41.6/42.6% (MMM 2019/2022, p = NS), with 21.3/27.5% of individuals with hypertension being unaware of their condition (p < 0.001), 5.6/2.4% aware untreated (p < 0.001), 24.8/22.1% treated uncontrolled (p < 0.05), and 48.3/47.8% treated controlled (p = NS). ConclusionIn Greece, the COVID-19 pandemic did not appear to affect the prevalence and control of hypertension; however, the rate of undiagnosed hypertension was higher after the pandemic. National strategies need to be implemented for the early detection and optimal management of hypertension in the general population in Greece.

Microplastic Particles in Sandy Beaches of Thessaloniki Gulf, Greece

Microplastic pollution is a major issue for aquatic ecosystems. In this study, an assessment of microplastic pollution in beach sediments of Thessaloniki Gulf is presented. Sand sampling was performed in October 2021, in three different coastal areas along the seashore of Thessaloniki Gulf, in NW Aegean Sea. In total, nine sand samples were collected and examined. The morphology of the detected microplastics was recorded: they were fragments and microfibers. Their abundance ranged from 0-32 items/m3. Higher concentrations of microplastics were observed in Karabournaki Beach, located in the city of Thessaloniki. It is the second largest city in Greece, inhabited by about 1,5 million people. Regarding the color, black, red, blue, green, and transparent microplastic fragments were found. Black and blue particles were the most common. Chemical detection and identification were performed with FT-IR spectroscopy. Four polymers were detected: polyethylene (PE), terephthalate (PET), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Polyethylene terephthalate was the dominant identified polymer (50%). The need for plastic pollution management in coastal areas, as well as the need to communicate the issue of plastic marine pollution and enhance public awareness, are discussed.

FRI085 Lipid Lowering Therapy Deficits In Secondary Cardiovascular Prevention In A Large Cohort From Eight Busy Clinics In Greece Over 12 Years

Abstract Disclosure: R.D. Paparodis: None. I. Androulakis: None. D.P. Askitis: None. I. Perogamvros: None. N. Angelopoulos: None. A. Rizoulis: None. S. Livadas: None. A. Boniakos: None. Background: The increasing availability of aggressive lipid lowering therapies (LLTs) worldwide is expected to produce a significant decline in cholesterol concentrations worldwide and a more successful attainment of LDL lowering goals (LLGs), especially in those who need them most: patients with established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Aims: To assess the long-term changes in the rate of attainment of LGs according to the European Society of Cardiology Guidelines nationwide, with the use of different LLTs during 12 consecutive years. Methods: We reviewed the charts of all patients initially seen between 2010-2022 who returned for care follow up at our 8 busy Endocrinology clinics, located in 6 cities in Greece, between Sep-1-2022 and Nov-30-2022. We enrolled those with recorded diagnosis of ASCVD [coronary artery disease (CAD), peripheral arterial disease (PAD) or carotid stenosis &amp;gt;50% (CS)] prior to our initial visit. For the present work, we reviewed data on tobacco use, intake of LLTs, and LDL-cholesterol concentrations as recorded during our initial clinic visit. We excluded all patients referred to our clinics for lipids management. Data are presented as means ± standard deviation. Means are compared with Kruskal Wallis test and p&amp;lt;0.05 is deemed significant. Results: We enrolled n=890 consecutive patients, age 63.9 ± 11.4 years, n=339 were women (38.1%), n=529 (59.4%) had diabetes, n=672 (75.5%) had hypertensions and all had ≥1 forms of established ASCVD: n=630 with CAD, n=279 with CS and n=151 with PAD. Out of these, n=144 (16.2%) were on no LLTs, n=334 (37.5%) continued to smoke, n=381 (42.8%) were on guidelines-based appropriate LLT strategy, n=248 (27.9%) reached LLGs and n=318 (35.7%) fulfilled the year-specific guidelines requirements. Of note is, that this rate dropped to 2.4-20.4% in the years 2019-2022. The likelihood of achieving LDL goals was not statistically significantly different among patients with different forms of ASCVD (p=0.42). Overall, the mean LDL was 88.2 ± 32.1mg/dl, and was not different between patients with different forms of ASCVD (p=0.75). Mean LDL concentrations have only started to drop between 2020-2022 as compared to 2019 (p&amp;lt;0.001), but are not different compared to those seen in the years 2010-2018. The mean LDL dropped to 82.3 ± 30.5mg/dl in 2022 as compared to 102.2 ± 38.8mg/dl in 2019. Conclusions: Our study reveals a large care gap in patients with established ASCVD, which did not seem to improve significantly over the past 12 years, despite the excellent availability of aggressive LLT strategies in Greece. Intervention studies are urgently needed to enhance adherence to updated international guidelines and reduce the extremely high ASCVD risk in this fragile population. Presentation: Friday, June 16, 2023

No national plans. Tackling radicalisation and discrimination with the effort of civil society in Greece and Romania

ABSTRACT This paper looks at the two case studies of Greece and Romania where national policies and strategies for Prevention and Countering of Violent Extremism (P/CVE) are non-existent or suffer from a deficiency in implementation. The analysis begins with a diagnosis of each country’s history and reaction to different types of violent extremism and attempts to highlight the ways in which each of them has dealt with this phenomenon. Both in Greece and Romania, the task has fallen into the hands of civil society to lead and develop local, regional, and national P/CVE programs. This is examined in this article, followed by an in-depth analysis of local action against radicalisation and VE in two cities in Greece and Romania. The paper also takes the perspective of education and social cohesion in analysing the issues at hand. The results of the analysis showcase that both countries lag in realising effective P/CVE strategies, with Greece having the institutional infrastructure – relevant agencies and local actors – albeit remaining inactive, and Romania still struggling to recognise the potential threat of radicalisation and violent extremism in the country – exemplified by the lack of open conversation at the level of government and public information.

Classification of CO Environmental Parameter for Air Pollution Monitoring with Grammatical Evolution

Air pollution is a pressing concern in urban areas, necessitating the critical monitoring of air quality to understand its implications for public health. Internet of Things (IoT) devices are widely utilized in air pollution monitoring due to their sensor capabilities and seamless data transmission over the Internet. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning techniques play a crucial role in classifying patterns derived from sensor data. Environmental stations offer a multitude of parameters that can be obtained to uncover hidden patterns showcasing the impact of pollution on the surrounding environment. This paper focuses on utilizing the CO parameter as an indicator of pollution in two datasets collected from wireless environmental monitoring devices in the greater Port area and the Town Hall of Igoumenitsa City in Greece. The datasets are normalized to facilitate their utilization in classification algorithms. The k-means algorithm is applied, and the elbow method is used to determine the optimal number of clusters. Subsequently, the datasets are introduced to the grammatical evolution algorithm to calculate the percentage fault. This method constructs classification programs in a human-readable format, making it suitable for analysis. Finally, the proposed method is compared against four state-of-the-art models: the Adam optimizer for optimizing artificial neural network parameters, a genetic algorithm for training an artificial neural network, the Bayes model, and the limited-memory BFGS method applied to a neural network. The comparison reveals that the GenClass method outperforms the other approaches in terms of classification error.

Accessing Consumer Perceptions of the Effectiveness of the Deposit Refund System

This study analyzes consumers’ perceptions of the Deposit Refund System (DRS) initiative in Greece. It aims firstly to measure the effectiveness of these systems in Greece. Secondly, based on elements from the Theory of Green Purchased Behavior, it identifies the motives of DRS users and how they affect DRS usage and perception. Data were gathered using a mail-out survey to consumers in various cities in Greece. The key finding supports the argument that moral motives significantly lower the costs associated with household recycling efforts. Moreover, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) is used to examine the research hypotheses. The findings reveal that the DRS motives positively and statistically significantly affect the process of recycling and user perception of DRS. Moreover, the DRS perception affects the adoption of the DRS and complementary mediates the effect of motives for DRS adoption. The normalized model shows that an increase in motives by 1 unit will increase the perception of consumers for refundable recycling by 0.346 units. Similarly, an increase in the motives by 1 unit will increase the use of refundable recycling by 0.296 units.

Clinical Characteristics of Outpatient Adolescents Undergoing Ongoing Psychotherapy in a Greek Tertiary Hospital from June 2016 to December 2019

Background: Adolescents with mental disorders often have difficulty engaging in ongoing treatment. Dropout from treatment is common. Aim: This paper aims to explore the clinical characteristics of a cohort of adolescents with mental disorders who were stably and actively undergoing psychotherapy over a relatively long period of time (for at least four months). Method: A purposive single-center cross-sectional cohort survey was conducted from June 2016 to December 2019. The sample of the study (N=50) was recruited from the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry outpatient setting of a large tertiary hospital of Thessaloniki, the second largest city in Greece. An intelligence test (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, WISC III) and a self-report measure of depression (Beck Depression Inventory, BDI II) were used. All the participants underwent a rigorous clinical assessment of their mental health status in both initial and ongoing psychotherapy. The initial diagnosis was reconfirmed during the course of therapy. Mental disorders were defined and diagnosed using the ICD-10 (1992) (International Classification of Diseases). Results: The largest percentage of adolescents (44.9%) were found to suffer from mood (affective) disorders, while 20.4% suffered from neurotic disorders. We also found high prevalence of pessimism (32.7%), reduction of energy (28.6%) and difficulty in concentration (32.7%). A total of 22.4% of adolescents reported sleep disorders. A limited interest in sex was noted, which was in contrast with international and Greek data, where interest and experimentation around sex seems to preoccupy a high percentage of adolescents. Furthermore, sleep disorders, either as a symptom of an underlying disease or as an independent clinical condition, seem to preoccupy adolescents, and this may be a motive for them to seek treatment. Conclusion: For the most part, the findings of this study were consistent with the findings of prior studies; however, previous studies did not exclusively include adolescents engaging in ongoing psychotherapy. As we identified some inconsistencies with prior studies related to interest in sex and sleep disorders, further research is recommended for the investigation of possible correlations between these findings and ongoing psychotherapy engagement rates. Note, however, that the findings in this study are not representative of adolescents in Greece due to the fact that the used sample was not representative.

A Route Choice Model for the Investigation of Drivers’ Willingness to Choose a Flyover Motorway in Greece

The constant evolution of many urban areas ultimately reaches a point where the current infrastructure cannot further serve the needs of citizens. In the case of transport networks, congested roads, increased delay, and low level of service are among the indicators of a need for road infrastructure upgrade. Thessaloniki is the second-largest city in Greece with a population of over 1 million inhabitants in its metropolitan area. Currently, a significant share of the city’s traffic demand is served via its ring road, whose capacity is set to be enhanced through the construction of a flyover highway with the simultaneous upgrade of the existing ring road. The current study aims at investigating the key factors determining the final route choice of drivers between the two road axes. To that end, data from a combined revealed and stated preference survey targeting car drivers were collected, which were later exploited as the basis for the development of binary route choice regression and machine learning models. The results reveal that drivers’ choice is affected by criteria such as total travel time, the probability of accident occurrence, and closure time due to accident. The results of this paper could prove beneficial to transport researchers in forecasting drivers’ behavior in terms of route choice and to practitioners during the planning phase of similar infrastructure projects.

Field Calibration of a Low-Cost Air Quality Monitoring Device in an Urban Background Site Using Machine Learning Models

Field calibration of low-cost air quality (AQ) monitoring sensors is essential for their successful operation. Low-cost sensors often exhibit non-linear responses to air pollutants and their signals may be affected by the presence of multiple compounds making their calibration challenging. We investigate different approaches for the field calibration of an AQ monitoring device named ENSENSIA, developed in the Institute of Chemical Engineering Sciences in Greece. The present study focuses on the measurements of two of the most important pollutants measured by ENSENSIA: NO2 and O3. The measurement site is located in the center of Patras, the third biggest city in Greece. Reference instrumentation used for regulatory purposes by the Region of Western Greece was used as the evaluation standard. The sensors were installed for two years at the same locations. Measurements from the first year (2021) from seven ENSENSIA sensors (NO2, NO, O3, CO, PM2.5, temperature and relative humidity) were used to train several Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL) algorithms. The resulting calibration algorithms were assessed using data from the second year (2022). The Random Forest algorithm exhibited the best performance in correcting O3 and NO2. For NO2 the mean error was reduced from 9.4 ppb to 3 ppb, whilst R2 improved from 0.22 to 0.86. Similar results were obtained for O3, wherein the mean error was reduced from 13 to 4.3 ppb and R2 increased from 0.52 to 0.69. The Long-Short Term Memory Network (LSTM) also showed good performance in correcting the measurements of the two pollutants.

Место европейских городов Средиземноморья в сфере туризма Европейского союза

The purpose of the study is to determine the position of Mediterranean cities in the European tourism system. For this purpose, the tourist attractiveness and tourism development of the Mediterranean region and the EU countries are analyzed. The place of the most attractive tourist cities of the Mediterranean in the EU market has been determined. Their strengths and weaknesses in the development of tourism are highlighted and opportunities and threats are considered. The methods of comparative, cluster, SWOT analysis were used in the work, a classification and a series of tables and maps were created. As a result of cluster analysis of a dozen indicators, groups of countries by tourist attractiveness and groups of cities of the European Union by the level of tourism development were identified. The study showed that the cities of the Mediterranean have different degrees of tourism development, while the level of tourism development in the cities of the western part of the region is higher than in the eastern. The largest of them have a diversified tourist offer and attract tourists as centers of resort, cultural and educational, business, event and religious tourism. They are a popular destination for citizens of Germany, Great Britain, Austria and the Scandinavian countries. There is also an interchange of tourists from the Mediterranean countries: France and Italy. Mediterranean cities have different and, in some cases, significantly different values of tourism development indicators. Higher rates of tourism development are observed in cities in the western part of the Mediterranean, while lower rates are observed in cities in the eastern part (cities of Greece, Croatia, Slovenia, Cyprus). The predominant number of Mediterranean cities, which are included in the list of the most popular destinations, demonstrate indicators of tourism development closer to the minimum values: economy and business, tourist activity, tourist policy and attractiveness, tourist infrastructure. In terms of characteristics, they are similar to cities in Portugal, as well as cities in Eastern Europe. The weak side of the development of tourism in Mediterranean cities is the indicators of sustainable development (the increase in average air temperature, the content of PM2.5 particles in the air), which affects the index of sustainable tourism. After the lifting of all coronavirus restrictions, Mediterranean cities are capable of rapid recovery due to the fact that they provide a familiar tourist product of good quality, which is important in conditions of uncertainty. Also, a plus is the proximity to the countries-the main suppliers of tourists and a long travel ban, which stimulated the desire to travel.

Analysing urban growth using machine learning and open data: An artificial neural network modelled case study of five Greek cities

Urban development if not planned and managed adequately can be unsustainable. Urban growth models have been a powerful toolkit to help tackling this challenge. In this paper, we use a machine learning approach, to apply an urban growth model to five of the largest cities in Greece. Specifically, we first develop a methodology to collect, organise, handle and transform historical open spatial data, concerning various impact factors, into machine learning data. Such factors involve social, economic, biophysical, neighbouring-related and political driving forces, which must be transformed into tabular data. We also provide an artificial neural network (ANN) model and the methodology to train and evaluate it using goodness-of-fit metrics, which in turn provide the best weights of impact factors. Finally, we execute a prediction for 2030, presenting the results and output maps for each of the five case study cities. As our study is based on pan-European datasets, our model can be used for any area within Europe, using the open-source utility developed to support it. In this sense, our work provides local policy-makers and urban planners with an instrument that could help them analyse various future development scenarios and take the right decisions going forward.

Exploring Self-Compassion among Recreational Dancers: Differences Between Tango and Ballet - Dance Teaching Implications Through Somatic and Embodied Disciplines

Self-compassion is considered a protective factor that promotes positive psychology, happiness, emotional regulation and embodiment. Self‐compassion offers an approach wherein individuals in dance can pursue optimal participation and performance without compromising health and well‐being. The present study aimed to explore self-compassion among recreational dancers and discover possible differences between tango and ballet. More specifically the study examined: i) the levels of self-compassion in recreational tango and ballet dancers; ii) differences in self-compassion according to demographic characteristics; and iii) differences between tango and ballet dancers. The research was based on several adults from various cities in Greece who participated in tango and ballet for recreational reasons during their leisure time. One hundred and ninety-one dancers (20 men and 171 women), between the ages of 17 and 62, completed the self-compassion scale of Mantzios, Wilson and Giannou (2015), which consists of twenty-six items. The answers were given on a five-point Likert scale, while the reliability of the scale was successfully tested. In addition, the questionnaire contained the collection of other data such as demographic characteristics. According to the first aim, the high scores on self-compassion among recreational dancers showed a relationship between self-compassion and dance, and a positive influence of ballet and tango practice. The second hypothesis was partially confirmed as statistically significant differences emerged only between the age groups with those over forty years of age to show higher levels of self-compassion. Regarding the third aim of the research, differences were found between types of dance. Tango participants showed higher levels of self-compassion than ballet participants. Specific dance teaching interventions are discussed based on somatic and embodiment theory, to create healthier mental, emotional and behavioral patterns for dancers, schools, academies or companies.&#x0D; &#x0D; Received: 2 August 2022 / Accepted: 20 October 2022 / Published: 5 November 2022

Cities in Competition: Is There a Link between Entrepreneurship and Development?

Cities operate in a competitive social environment requiring local authorities to adopt marketing strategies with significant economic ratings. City marketing that is related to the meaning of a city’s name encourages activities in the city or region. The present study adopted a quantitative survey on a sample of 152 employees in companies to explore how important marketing is perceived for a city’s development. The research was done in Trikala, a city in Greece. The key conclusion was that the more critical the participants consider the interventions in the city’s natural environment, the more they believe that the city can benefit from corporate sponsorships. Subsequently, it appeared that the more they support the interventions in the structured environment of the city, the less they consider that corporate sponsorships can benefit it. It was explained that structured interventions usually involve very high investments that require funding from the central government, as sponsorships are not enough. The most substantial positive relationship was found between the importance of interventions in employment, entrepreneurship and tourism, and the importance of business sponsorships.

Innovation in the tourism industry through personalization for the case of Thessaloniki: Tourist types and their role in development strategies

The tourism industry has been one of the most significant and fastest-growing globally. The pandemic of COVID-19 had a crucial and unprecedented impact on tourism, from which it is currently trying to recover. Innovations and technology are among the most vital tools for this recovery. In order to effectively utilize and employ technological innovations, they need to be targeted toward the trends and desires of consumer demands, which are increasingly pointing to personalized experiences and products. Personalisation can significantly benefit businesses and improve consumer satisfaction, especially in tourism. To this end, the present paper explores tourist types through qualitative and quantitative analyses and formulates ten “personas” based on their unique technological, social, economic, and cultural traits and behaviour. Overall, tourists are open to the locality, willing to participate in events, taste local cuisine and interact with the local population. They consider security and quality as essential preconditions of visiting a destination. Cultural tourism appears as the most favoured scope of travelling. The individual types of tourists presented can play an essential role in implementing strategic planning and are necessary for creating personalized tourism products and experiences. The analysis focuses on the city of Thessaloniki (the second-largest city in Greece). The results are further utilized for creating personalized city tours through a newly developed innovative mobile application.

Networks of culture creatives in Patras: the relevance of cultural lag

ABSTRACT This paper addresses the challenges posed by the early discourse of the creative city in the case of Patras, a regional city of Greece and European Capital of Culture in 2006 before the prolonged economic crisis in Greece. We focus on the relevance and the forms of cultural creation and artistic networking for the creative city rather than on innovation hubs and technological creativity. We develop a qualitative study of culture creatives in the city to examine the potential of local cultural and artistic agents, social groups and institutions to enhance networking and clustering in the urban milieu, which is also influenced or distorted by city planning capacities and politics. The culture management study identifies several constraints and frictions related to the potential transformation of cultural networks to clusters and analyzes the relevance of cultural lag in the literature of creative cities and urban regeneration. The constraints are discussed within a framework of cultural and institutional lag, which characterize city stakeholders. The study identifies practices that enable organizational facilitation and capacity for proactive culture creation, creative networking and potential clustering. Those activities support culture-led socio-economic urban regeneration planning and inspire the potential making of a creative city.

Cyberbullying and empathy among elementary school students: Do special educational needs make a difference?

The present study investigates involvement in cyberbullying and empathy skills, as well as the relationship between the two among general education sixth grade elementary school students with and without special educational needs (SEN). Specifically, 120 students with SEN (Autistic Spectrum Disorder-ASD, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder-ADHD, learning disabilities) and 120 students without SEN from 29 randomly selected schools of the second biggest city in Greece completed a self-report questionnaire, which included a short version of the "Cyberbullying Questionnaire" (Smith etal., An investigation into cyber bullying, its forms, awareness and impact, and the relationship between age and gender in cyber bullying. A report to the Anti-Bullying Alliance. Unit for School and Family Studies, 2006) and the "Basic Empathy Scale"-BES (Jolliffe & Farrington, 2006, J Adolesc, 29:589, 2006). The results showed that, regardless of gender, involvement in cyberbullying (as victims/bullies) concerned primarily students with SEN, mainly those with ASD and ADHD. Accordingly, students with SEN and mostly those with ASD expressed lower affective and cognitive empathy compared to the rest of the students. Finally, for all the participating students both affective and cognitive empathy negatively predicted engagement in cyberbullying (as victims/bullies). Implications for preventive actions in elementary education, and especially for children with SEN, are discussed in detail.

Observations from the March 2021 Thessaly Earthquakes: an earthquake engineering perspective for masonry structures

Two strong earthquakes hit Thessaly region on March 3rd, 2021 (Mw = 6.3) and on March 4th, 2021 (Mw = 6.1). The epicentres of the earthquakes were located at approximately 23 and 29 km respectively NW of Larissa, one of the most populous cities in Greece. Several aftershocks followed thereafter. Although no injuries were recorded, several structures suffered significant damage close to the epicentre, while some others collapsed. Approximately 300 residents of the village of Damasi were transferred to temporary settlements and tents. The event occurred during the COVID19 lockdown and created significant stress and disruption to residents. This paper focuses on the earthquake swarm itself as well as the damages observed in residential buildings, schools, and churches in the earthquake-stricken region. The earthquakes mainly impacted low-rise domestic masonry buildings, while the more modern reinforced concrete structures built following the recent seismic regulations were almost unaffected. The typology of buildings in the region, together with photographs demonstrating the extent of damage are presented herein. Despite the rather satisfactory performance of modern buildings in recent earthquakes in Greece, the preliminary investigations from the Thessaly Earthquakes showed that there is still a significant level of vulnerability in existing masonry building stock constructed using traditional methods and materials. This issue could re-emerge in future earthquakes striking other rural areas of Greece, something that needs to be addressed systematically in the future.