Greek University Research Articles

Increased Levels of Galectin-3 in Critical COVID-19.

Severe COVID-19 is related to hyperinflammation and multiple organ injury, including respiratory failure, thus requiring intensive care unit (ICU) admission. Galectin-3, a carbohydrate-binding protein exhibiting pleiotropic effects, has been previously recognized to participate in inflammation, the immune response to infections and fibrosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between galectin-3 and the clinical severity of COVID-19, as well as assess the prognostic accuracy of galectin-3 for the probability of ICU mortality. The study included 235 COVID-19 patients with active disease, treated in two different Greek hospitals in total. Our results showed that median galectin-3 serum levels on admission were significantly increased in critical COVID-19 patients (7.2 ng/mL), as compared to the median levels of patients with less severe disease (2.9 ng/mL, p = 0.003). Galectin-3 levels of the non-survivors hospitalized in the ICU were significantly higher than those of the survivors (median 9.1 ng/mL versus 5.8 ng/mL, p = 0.001). The prognostic accuracy of galectin-3 for the probability of ICU mortality was studied with a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and a multivariate analysis further demonstrated that galectin-3 concentration at hospital admission could be assumed as an independent risk factor associated with ICU mortality. Our results were validated with galectin-3 measurements in a second patient cohort from a different Greek university hospital. Our results, apart from strongly confirming and advancing previous knowledge with two patient cohorts, explore the possibility of predicting ICU mortality, which could provide useful information to clinicians. Therefore, galectin-3 seems to establish its involvement in the prognosis of hospitalized COVID-19 patients, suggesting that it could serve as a promising biomarker in critical COVID-19.

Personality profile differences in academic dishonesty and procrastination among Greek university students: A five factor facet-level latent profile analysis

This study explored the five factor personality profiles of 863 Greek university students at a facet level using Latent Profile Analysis and examined differences in relation to academic dishonesty and procrastination via an online anonymous questionnaire. Latent Profile Analysis revealed four groups of students: Overcontrollers, Resilients, Ordinaries, and Undercontrollers. The results demonstrated that in terms of overall academic dishonesty and cheating, Ordinaries scored lower than Overcontrollers and Undercontrollers. In plagiarism, Overcontrollers scored higher than both Ordinaries and Undercontrollers. Finally, Ordinaries scored lower than all profiles in academic procrastination. Student classification based on personality profiles facilitates intervention planning as well as the implementation of measures for individual or group interventions with university students who are more likely to cheat and/or procrastinate.

Towards more sustainable higher education institutions: Implementing the sustainable development goals and embedding sustainability into the information and computer technology curricula

Lately, there has been a rising trend towards integrating sustainability issues and implementing sustainable development (SD) goals into higher education, especially in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) field. This paper presents the challenges of the introduction of education for sustainability in higher education institutions, analyzes how these challenges could be addressed, and records the essential principles that can guide the incorporation of SD education in higher education. At the same time, this paper advocates the concept of sustainability integration into undergraduate ICT curricula and provides indications for developing ICT curricula that integrate sustainability issues. This paper also examines the contribution of education to the environmental awareness of the students at a Greek University while it captures their perceptions regarding the necessity for the inclusion of sustainability in the ICT curricula. The results are based on the processing of two questionnaires (pre-test and post-test data) distributed during two lectures regarding sustainability at a two-week interval. The findings of the study prove that the direct effect of the educational intervention on the intention of the students to engage in sustainability is significant. Furthermore, it is observed that students show a positive attitude towards integrating sustainability issues into their ICT education. In addition, although students had a deficient level of understanding of the concept of SD goals before the intervention, they showed a significant increment in their previous knowledge regarding sustainability and the environmental impact of ICT studies. The research also reveals that the students are not satisfied with the engagement of the university towards sustainability, and they propose various awareness activities to support their engagement with sustainability issues in an inclusive manner.

MATURED STUDENTS IN GREEK UNIVERSITY: DIFFICULTIES IN ATTENDING UNIVERSITY AND STRATEGIES TO OVERCOME THEM (A QUALITATIVE APPROACH)

The aim of our study is to highlight the characteristics of mature students who study in person in Greek universities , the difficulties they face and the strategies they use to overcome them. The research was conducted through semi-structured interviews with a sample of 10 students of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities of a regional Greek university and the data were analyzed using Pierre Bourdieu's theoretical framework. The results of the research showed that the characteristics that differentiate mature students from university students of typical age (18 - 22 years old) are related to adulthood. They enroll at university mainly to increase their institutional and symbolic capital, while the obstacles they face are mainly related to their family and professional obligations. They also develop specific strategies to achieve their goals. Finally, the Greek university needs to focus on this particular group of students and formulate a specific policy to contribute to addressing their problems.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0071/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Theorizing university mathematics teaching: the Teaching Triad within an Activity Theory perspective

In this paper, we draw on our recent research to inspect again some of the theoretical perspectives we have been using to analyze data and to characterize teaching-learning in university settings. We focus particularly, within a sociocultural perspective on Activity Theory and the construct the “Teaching Triad,” seeking to embed the Triad within an Activity Theory perspective. To achieve this, we relate the Teaching Triad with aspects of the sociocultural setting both in and beyond direct interactions in face-to-face teaching. While this is mainly a theoretical paper, an example is taken from observations of teaching in university lectures in a Greek university to show how these theoretical perspectives have provided insights to the institutional and cultural complexities involved and in what ways the Triad construct has evolved.

Academic dishonesty among Greek University students from different disciplines: a latent profile analysis of cheating perceptions and academic self-handicapping

ABSTRACT This study investigated the associations between academic dishonesty, perceptions toward cheating and academic self-handicapping in 572 Greek University students using an online anonymous questionnaire. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was employed to form subgroups of students based on academic dishonesty – related constructs. The results showed that academic dishonesty was higher in males and among Sciences and Economics/ICT majors, and that it was associated with students’ perceptions and a pattern of dysfunctional academic behavior. Moreover, students majoring in Science and Economics/ICT reported higher levels of witnessing a peer cheating, which was positively linked to academic dishonesty. LPA revealed three groups of students with low, medium, and high academic dishonesty-related variable scores. The implications of these findings for understanding how perceptions about cheating and academic self-handicapping are linked to academic dishonesty are discussed. The study also suggests some possible interventions to prevent and reduce academic dishonesty based on the emerged student profiles.

Antecedents of entrepreneurial intention: A study on students from the tourism management department

Undoubtedly, deciding to enter the business world is a challenging decision that is influenced by several factors. Some of them are cultural since they deal with widespread beliefs about entrepreneurial activity in a community at a certain time. Other factors are related to the entrepreneur’s personal characteristics. As young people in Greece are interested in starting their own businesses they interact with their peers around the world, mainly in Europe, for exchanging ideas, information and good practices, despite the cultural differences between the North and the South of Europe. This paper will address the issue of shaping an entrepreneur in Greece and the role of factors such as entrepreneurship education, personal characteristics, and social norms in his/her entrepreneurial intention. A sample of 143 students in the tourism department of a Greek University answered an online questionnaire at the end of the semester. Findings show that Personal Attitude (PA), Social Norms (SN) and Self-efficacy (SE) had a significant impact on the Entrepreneurial Intention (EI) of tourism students. The characteristics of those starting up businesses in the tourism sector will also be reviewed, and the consequences for policy makers will be examined to encourage new start-ups and increase the survival chances of the existing ones.

Predicting the Behavioral Intention of Greek University Faculty Members to Use Moodle

An emerging area of research is the study of factors that influence the use of e-learning systems in higher education. Previous studies have mainly focused on the factors that influence the adoption of learning management systems (LMS) from the student’s point of view, and rarely from the point of view of the university lecturers. Moodle is an open-source LMS that has been used increasingly by the higher education community worldwide in the past few years. The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors that explain the acceptance of Moodle by academic personnel (faculty members) in the Greek higher education system. The convenience sample consists of 85 lecturers from different universities in Greece. All of them reported having used Moodle. Using the technology acceptance model, the correlations between the six latent variables (perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, behavioral intention to use, perceived self-efficacy, subjective norms, and technology complexity) were examined. Five of the eight hypotheses were supported by variance base structural equation modelling. The total explained variance of the faculty members’ behavioral intention to use Moodle was estimated to be 68.3%. Perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use had a high overall effect. Subjective norms, self-efficacy, and technological complexity influenced the teachers’ intentions to adopt Moodle. This study recommends training as well as technical support for academic personnel. In addition, stakeholders should address these factors to increase usability, awareness of new opportunities for the educational community, accessibility, and the general dissemination of the benefits of learning management systems in education.

“Refugees in the Amphitheatre”: An Intercultural Action Research on Co-Educating Student Teachers and Peer Refugees

The contribution of action research to teacher education as well as to refugee education has been highlighted in the international literature. Through action research, teachers can link educational theories with everyday school practices. In addition, the participation of refugees in action research, especially in cooperation with members of the dominant ethnic and cultural group, could play a significant role in their empowerment and social inclusion. This article describes the content and the results of an action research, which took place in the context of an academic course in a Greek University. The aim of the action research was the interaction between students and peer refugees and, through it, the development of intercultural competence and empathy. The action research developed in three cycles, featuring the students and refugees’ participation in intercultural routes–walks. The action research findings showed that the participation in the abovementioned walks supported the intercultural communication and interaction among the group members, as well as the reflection on refugee identity stereotypes.

Nomophobia and Self-Esteem: A Cross Sectional Study in Greek University Students

Nomophobia is a relatively new term describing someone's fear, discomfort, or anxiety when his/her smartphone is not available. It is reported that low self-esteem may contribute to an individual's tendency for nomophobia. The aim of this particular study was to investigate the association between nomophobia and self-esteem among Greek university students. The study sample consisted of 1060 male and female university students aged 18 to 25 years, participating on a voluntary basis with an online anonymous questionnaire. Data were collected through "Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q)" and "Rosenberg's self-esteem scale (RSES)". All participants exhibited some level of nomophobia, with the moderate level prevailing (59.6%). Regarding self-esteem categories, 18.7% of the participants showed low self-esteem, while the rest showed normal/high levels. Students with low self-esteem were twice as likely to exhibit a higher level of nomophobia compared to those with normal/high (adj Cum OR = 1.99, p value < 0.001). Additionally, women and students having fathers without a university education had a higher risk of exhibiting a greater level of nomophobia (adj Cum OR = 1.56 and 1.44, respectively, p values ≤ 0.008). It was observed that low self-esteem and nomophobia are closely connected. Further investigation into this particular issue is needed to explore potential causality between them.

The Evaluation and the Accreditation Process of Greek HEIs with an Emphasis on Primary Education Departments

This paper examines the quality evaluations of the Greek Universities highlighting those which offer a full-fledged study program of primary education. There are eight principles-criteria according to which each university is evaluated. For each principle, scores may range from 1 (noncompliance with the principle) to 4 (fully compliance). I present and compare results of the Greek university evaluations completed by the Hellenic Quality Assurance and Accreditation Agency (HQA). Surprisingly, no university has been graded as non-compliant in any of the eight principles-criteria. These evaluations are performed by an alleged “external” and “independent” committee. For all practical purposes, they are, nevertheless, based on subjective and biased opinions of academics affiliated with international universities with links to Greece and its universities. Independent and evidence-based evaluations paint a different picture. Universities which get perfect scores in the quality evaluation processes perform badly in the pertinent international ranking systems. As a case study, their primary education departments have lower research performance with high variability between faculty members and departments. Given that one criterion of evaluating quality is research, then not all Greek universities can be evaluated as highly performing research institutions, either in absolute or relevant terms. This criterion of quality is not satisfied by the primary education departments of Greek universities. According to this evidence, using the HQA as an agency to assess and accredit quality is useless. It should be abolished. A new system should be based on objective criteria such as independent teaching evaluations and research performance. These do not require any committee to evaluate performance and can be constructed on evidence-based policy. The latter relies solely on rigorously established objective facts. Keywords: higher education, quality assurance, HQA, teaching quality, Greece

In vitro activity of newer β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combinations, cefiderocol, plazomicin and comparators against carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates

Infections by carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) remain one of the greatest healthcare threats associated with significant morbidity and mortality. New antimicrobials were recently developed to address this threat. We assessed the epidemiology of carbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae (CPKP) isolates recovered in a Greek university hospital during 2021, and their susceptibilities to old and newer antimicrobials. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined by the MIC Test Strip method, except for cefiderocol (CFDC) and colistin that were evaluated by the broth microdilution method. A total of 110 CPKP strains were isolated, with KPC-producers being the most prevalent (64.6%). Among the agents tested, plazomicin (PL) displayed the highest activity against all the isolates (MIC50/MIC90, 0.5/1.5 μg/ml), followed by tigecycline (MIC50/MIC90, 1.5/4 μg/ml). All KPC-producing K. pneumoniae were susceptible to ceftazidime-avibactam (CAZ/AVI) and meropenem-vaborbactam (M/V) and 97.2% of them to imipenem-relebactam (I/R). Among the MBL-producing isolates, PL and CFDC exhibited the highest activity.

Educational data mining in the academic setting: employing the data produced by blended learning to ameliorate the learning process

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to introduce an interactive system that relies on the educational data generated from the online Universities services to assess, correct and ameliorate the learning process for both students and faculty.Design/methodology/approachIn the presented research, data from the online services, provided by a Greek University, prior, during and after the COVID-19 outbreak, are analyzed and utilized in order to ameliorate the offered learning process and provide better quality services to the students. Moreover, according to the learning paths, their presence online and their participation in the services of the University, insights can be derived for their performance, so as to better support and assist them.FindingsThe system can deduce the future learning progression of each student, according to the past and the current performance. As a direct consequence, the exploitation of the data can provide a road map for the strategic planning of universities, can indicate how the learning process can be updated and amended, both online and in person, as well as make the learning experience more essential, effective and efficient for the students and aiding the professors to provide a more meaningful and to-the-point learning experience.Originality/valueNowadays, educational activities in academia are strongly supported by online services, information systems and online educational materials. The learning design in the academic setting is primarily facilitated in the University premises. However, the exploitation of the contemporary technologies and supporting materials that are available online can enrich and transform the educational process and its results.

Students' Perceptions of Traineeships in a Greek University: Incentives and Barriers

Higher education work experience programs offer students the opportunity to connect the theoretical knowledge of academic studies with the workplace and the acquisition of professional experience. The purpose of this paper is to examine the perceptions of the students of a Greek university regarding Work Based Learning (WBL) with a special focus on traineeships. The paper investigates the students' expectations and conceptions of such a program, the incentives for participation, the difficulties they might encounter during the program and their sense of attainment once it is completed. The data for this study were collected through a survey, which was conducted with an online questionnaire and constituted a case study. The paper used descriptive statistics for the analysis of the data. Students consider traineeships as a form of WBL that is an essential element of their learning and acknowledge that it creates strong linkages between theory and practice. The incentives towards such programs concern mostly the development of hard and soft skills. The existence of many barriers and, most importantly, the lack of relevancy and the mismatches between the content of the academic studies and the work duties are highlighted.

Scholarly Networks, Gender Sociology, and Knowledge Production in Aegean Survey and Eastern Mediterranean Archaeology

Scholarly Networks, Gender Sociology, and Knowledge Production in Aegean Survey and Eastern Mediterranean Archaeology

Students’ Mobile Phone Practices for Academic Purposes: Strengthening Post-Pandemic University Digitalization

The COVID-19 pandemic is considered as a turning point that has impacted the digital transformation of higher education. However, the link between students’ mobile phone practices and university digitalization is not sufficiently or explicitly discussed. The purpose of this study is to provide evidence about university students’ mobile phone practices for academic purposes, and to contribute to the debate regarding post-pandemic university digitalization. The participants were 60 students studying in a Greek university, data were collected via an open-ended questionnaire, and descriptive content analysis was used to examine the qualitative data. Students mainly use their mobile phones for information searches (e.g., for assignments, videos, photos, graphs, simulations, online dictionaries, and scientific papers), easy and quick access to e-classes (e.g., course material/slides) and the faculty’s site, and for communication with peers (e.g., queries, sharing educational resources) and tutors. During mobile practices, students experience advantages (easy-quick searches, flexibility, familiarization with digital technology) and disadvantages (internet connectivity, unreliable information sources, distractions). Implications for students, educators, and university policy-organization (policymakers have a role in reshaping digitalization) are discussed. It is argued that mobile learning has the potential to strengthen university digitalization, thus affecting the sustainability of education in the post-pandemic era.

Do Greek University Students Trust Social Media Regarding Science Related Issues? The Covid-19 Case

This research aimed in revealing the trends of Greek universities’ student population in terms of their trust in social media, focusing on information and news related to scientific issues, and particularly on issues related to Covid-19. The sample of our study consisted of 557 people studying in various faculties of Greek universities throughout the country. Their answers in a questionnaire were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Students’ answers revealed that despite they often resort to the use of social media and internet sources for informational purposes, they tend not to consider them as the most reliable source of obtaining information, regardless of the topic. They state that, contemplating the science and Covid-19 related information shared on social media platforms as unreliable and inaccurately presented, they try to cross-check it by drawing news from other media, a practice that contributes to them being able to distinguish fake news from true ones.

A Seven-Year Microbiological and Molecular Study of Bacteremias Due to Carbapenemase-Producing Klebsiella Pneumoniae: An Interrupted Time-Series Analysis of Changes in the Carbapenemase Gene's Distribution after Introduction of Ceftazidime/Avibactam.

Background: Ceftazidime/avibactam (CZA) is a new option for the treatment of KPC-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae. The aim of this study was to determine resistance patterns and carbapenemase genes among K. pneumoniae (CP-Kp) bacteremic isolates before and after CZA introduction. Methods: K. pneumoniae from blood cultures of patients being treated in a Greek university hospital during 2015–21 were included. PCR for blaKPC, blaVIM, blaNDM and blaOXA-48 genes was performed. Results: Among 912 K. pneumoniae bacteremias: 725 (79.5%) were due to carbapenemase-producing isolates; 488 (67.3%) carried blaKPC; 108 (14.9%) blaVIM; 100 (13.8%) blaNDM; and 29 (4%) carried a combination of blaKPC, blaVIM or blaNDM. The incidence of CP-Kp bacteremias was 59 per 100,000 patient-days. The incidence of CP-Kp changed from a downward pre-CZA trend to an upward trend in the CZA period (p = 0.007). BSIs due to KPC-producing isolates showed a continuous downward trend in the pre-CZA and CZA periods (p = 0.067), while BSIs due to isolates carrying blaVIM or blaNDM changed from a downward trend in the pre-CZA to an upward trend in the CZA period (p < 0.001). Conclusions: An abrupt change in the epidemiology of CP-Kp was observed in 2018, due to the re-emergence of VIM-producing isolates after the suppression of KPC-producing ones via the use of CZA.

Cost-effective surgical management of liver disease in an university hospital: A retrospective study

Background: Hepatobiliary surgery is a high-end surgery comprising of complex operations associated with high economic burden to a healthcare system. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a hepatobiliary surgery highly standardized operative protocol, that minimizes intraoperative and postoperative costs, implemented by the same surgical team, in a Greek university hospital for a five-year period (2012-2016). Method and Material: The digital medical records of all patients undergoing liver resection at a tertiary university hospital from January 2012 to December 2016 by a single surgical team were retrospectively reviewed. The financial cost of the patients’ treatment was calculated in collaboration with the hospital’s logistics department, and it involved all preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative expenses from admission to discharge, excluding physician fees and salary cost of the hospital’s nurses. Results: In this study, 127 patients underwent hepatectomy. The patient’s health status was improved after the surgery in most of the cases (121, 95.2%). The mean Length of Stay (LOS) was 13.4 (SD±17.3) days. The mean total hospitalization cost was 4,729 (SD ± 5,486) euros (€), while the cost of surgery, the higher mean cost was noted in 2013 (925, SD±974.64 €) and the lower in 2015 (142, SD±219 €). Conclusions: This protocol allows the performance of hepatectomies with a significantly decreased cost without compromising patient outcomes.

The Relationship Between Defenses and Learning: The Mediating Role of Procrastination and Well-Being Among Undergraduate Students.

This study investigates the relationship among defense styles and learning through academic procrastination and psychological well-being. The sample comprises 628 social science students from a Greek university. Path analysis is used to explore associations and interactions among the variables. The results show that academic procrastination and psychological well-being mediate the relationship between defense styles and approaches to learning, indicating the expected direct and indirect effects. Defense styles are directly related to approaches to learning. Mature defense styles are associated with learning through psychological well-being in a positive way, and immature defense styles are associated with learning through academic procrastination in a negative way. This study supports the current line of research in associations between defense styles and learning and the importance of linking mental health variables with learning.