Island Greece Research Articles

APPRECIATION OF SOCIAL MEDIA BY TOURIST ACCOMMODATION OWNERS IN GREECE

The primary aim of this paper is to examine the use of social media by managers in the field of tourism, especially in small and medium-sized businesses in Greece. An explanatory quantitative survey has been applied to collect, process and analyze primary data using questionnaires answered by 302 tourist accommodation owners, originated from 35 prefectures across the mainland and the islands of Greece. The research has indicated that the degree of social media dynamics is also large in small and medium-sized businesses. Regarding the goals that every business wishes to achieve by using social media, it has come up that businessmen seem to be content with their simple preserve on social media and retain mainly an informative and advertising approach. Based of the findings, it has become apparent that social media use, even for advertising purposes, occurs but without being a part of a general strategy promotion, thus with no specific plan or goals, without realizing the benefits of their advantages, and with no results measurements.

A comparative methodological approach for the calculation of ships air emissions and fuel-energy consumption in two major Greek ports

ABSTRACT The scope of the paper is to focus on the main technical discrepancies, that is, engine load factor (LF), specific fuel oil consumption (SFOC), emissions factors (EF), included in the existing methodological approaches for calculating ships’ on-board emissions and propose a framework that will allow various stakeholders to conduct accurate air emissions calculations based on publically available operational data. A bottom-up methodology has been employed for the calculation of fuel-energy consumption and air emissions (CO2, SOx, NOx, PM10) in two major ports (Souda and Heraklion) of Crete island in Greece for passenger ferries and cruise ships for the years 2018 and 2019 and for both main and auxiliary engines of all vessels. Due to the lack of publically available technical data, the proposed methodology is based on the estimation of SFOC values through a regression analysis that leads to accurate and reliable results. The basic scenario is based on a detailed estimation of SFOC via a regression analysis applied on engine’s technical data, while the alternative approaches employ SFOC estimated through the application of specific adjustment factors and main engine power based on ship’s gross tonnage. The basic scenario results are the most accurate data while in most other cases air emissions are underestimated observing significant differences between the different methodologies.

CAUSES OF EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING AND PREVENTION MEASURES: SCHOOL DIRECTORS’ INSIGHTS

<p>The following study explores the phenomenon of early school leaving and related prevention strategies, focusing on the region of Crete, an island in Greece which has high early school leaving rates. This is a qualitative research focused on the opinions and attitudes of the elementary and secondary school units’ directors. Thirteen semi-structured interviews were conducted, showing the interviewees’ opinions about the reasons students leave school in this specific district, the applied prevention measures, and their evaluation. It is noted that the frequency of early school leaving in the local high schools and lyceums is high, while in the elementary schools it is low, which is mainly caused by the students’ decision to enter the job market, help their family agricultural business, and create a family of their own or get married -especially the female students. Furthermore, participants state that they apply certain prevention measures, which include regular communication with the close family circle and with students at risk. Finally, they state that the effectiveness of the measures implemented depends - to a large extent - on the funding provided to schools, mainly as recruitment of specialized staff.</p><p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0520/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Combining Geostatistics and Remote Sensing Data to Improve Spatiotemporal Analysis of Precipitation.

The wide availability of satellite data from many distributors in different domains of science has provided the opportunity for the development of new and improved methodologies to aid the analysis of environmental problems and to support more reliable estimations and forecasts. Moreover, the rapid development of specialized technologies in satellite instruments provides the opportunity to obtain a wide spectrum of various measurements. The purpose of this research is to use publicly available remote sensing product data computed from geostationary, polar and near-polar satellites and radar to improve space–time modeling and prediction of precipitation on Crete island in Greece. The proposed space–time kriging method carries out the fusion of remote sensing data with data from ground stations that monitor precipitation during the hydrological period 2009/10–2017/18. Precipitation observations are useful for water resources, flood and drought management studies. However, monitoring stations are usually sparse in regions with complex terrain, are clustered in valleys, and often have missing data. Satellite precipitation data are an attractive alternative to observations. The fusion of the datasets in terms of the space–time residual kriging method exploits the auxiliary satellite information and aids in the accurate and reliable estimation of precipitation rates at ungauged locations. In addition, it represents an alternative option for the improved modeling of precipitation variations in space and time. The obtained results were compared with the outcomes of similar works in the study area.

The 30 October 2020 Aegean Sea Tsunami: Post-Event Field Survey Along Turkish Coast.

On 30 October 2020, a strong normal-faulting earthquake struck Samos Island in Greece and İzmir Province in Turkey, both in the eastern Aegean Sea. The earthquake generated a tsunami that hit the coasts of Samos Island, Greece and İzmir, Turkey. National teams performed two post-tsunami field surveys on 31 October to 1 November 2020, and 4–6 November 2020, along the Turkish coastline; while the former was a quick survey on the days following the tsunami, the latter involved more detailed measurement and investigation focusing on a ~ 110-km-long coastline extending from Alaçatı (Çeşme District of İzmir) to Gümüldür (Menderes District of İzmir). The survey teams measured runup and tsunami heights, flow depths, and inundation distances at more than 120 points at eight different localities. The largest tsunami runup among the surveyed locations was measured as 3.8 m in Akarca at a distance of 91 m from the shoreline. The maximum tsunami height of 2.3 m (with a flow depth of 1.4 m) was observed at Kaleiçi region in Sığacık, where the most severe tsunami damage was observed. There, the maximum runup height was measured as 1.9 m at the northeastern side of the bay. The survey team also investigated tsunami damage to coastal structures, noticing a gradual decrease in the impact from Gümüldür to further southeast. The findings of this field survey provide insights into the coastal impact of local tsunamis in the Aegean Sea.

Investigation of the Information-Seeking Behavior of Hospitalized Patients at the General Hospital of Corfu

ABSTRACT The purpose of this article is to investigate the information-seeking behavior of hospitalized patients in a peripheral hospital in Greece, based on Wilson’s theoretical model. After a thorough literature review, we report on the results of a cross-sectoral sur\\vey that was conducted based on Wilson’s macro-model of information-seeking behavior. The survey exploits the feedback we obtained from 150 hospitalized patients in the General Hospital of Corfu island in Greece. For the feedback collection, we relied on a structured questionnaire that was distributed to patients and correlates information-seeking behavior of hospitalized patients’ clinical data and eHealth Literacy. According to our findings, the most commonly recorded factors that pertain to information needs of hospitalized patients relate to treatment information, procedural information as well as information about the patients’ rights and support. The main information sources to which patients turn for receiving information are digital scientific sources, health professionals, other patients, insurance funds, family members and friends and the media. Concerning the most frequent obstacles associated with the information-seeking process, these account primarily to individual, interpersonal and environmental factors. Finally, the research came to a conclusion with the adaptation of Wilson’s theoretical model to hospitalized patients by confirming the original-initial model. The findings of our survey reveal the necessity to equip hospital units with adequate staff and to develop programs that offer updated information services to the hospitalized population. Moreover, our survey suggests that the availability of advanced health-related information services can empower the general population toward establishing e-Health literacy skills as well as toward increasing their level of satisfaction from the quality of the health services offered. In this direction, a clinical librarian program would empower hospitals worldwide to make their patients literate about health-related information.

The Use of the Terebinth Tree (Pistacia ssp.) in the Land of Israel in Antiquity: Fruit, Oil, and Resin

This article undertakes a comprehensive study of the place of the terebinth (Pistacia palaestina) and the Pistacia atlantica (P. terebinthus) in both the cultivated and uncultivated landscapes of ancient Israel. Presenting detailed accounts of historical sources (primarily rabbinical and classical literature), along with archaeobotanical and paleographic archaeological sources, the study focuses on describing how the terebinth’s fruit has been used to provide food and oil and resin even until today. The main contribution of the article is in describing the practical process of producing oil and resin from the pistacia trees. The evidence shows that in the past, the resin, made mainly from the Pistacia atlantica, was used for medical purposes, and, especially, as an ingredient in incense. This resin was in high demand in the ancient world and became an export product of the Land of Israel. For the purposes of the study, resin was produced in Israel from some eighty trees at four different sites. Production was carried out based on two models: resin production from the mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus) as practiced on Chios Island in Greece; and the method of resin production from the Pistacia atlantica in Iraqi Kurdistan, which is still sold throughout the Arab world. The large quantities of resin obtained confirm that this resin production was indeed an industry with economic potential and profitability in ancient Israel.

Remembering Absence: The Sense of Life in Island Greece by Nicolas Argenti

Remembering Absence: The Sense of Life in Island Greece by Nicolas Argenti

Cretan Turks at the End of the 19th Century: Migration and Settlement

The Cretan Turks (and now their descendants) are a group of people who originally had lived in the Island of Crete till 1923 when the Obligatory Population Exchange Agreement signed between Turkey and Greece. Through almost the entire 19th century, as a result of Greek revolts one after another in different times in history and the public order on the island was disrupted, the Cretan Turkish population in fear of their lives left their living places, became refugees and the demographic structure of the island changed in favor of the Orthodox Christians. Among those migrations, the biggest and the most decisive on the political future of the island is the Heraklion Events that started in 1897 which resulted in the migration of at least 40,000 Turks. This population movement is particularly important as it caused the expansion of Cretan Turks to very different regions. The present existence of a Cretan community in Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, Libya, the Rhodes and Kos Islands of Greece, along with (albeit few) Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, the Island of Cyprus and Palestine happened due to this immigration movement. This article approaches the immigration and settlement process that happened at the very end of the 19th century as a result of a revolt in Crete, in a sudden and involuntary manner, in a period where the Ottoman Empire suffered from political, economic and social difficulties. Tracking the official records and by fieldwork where and how immigrants settled, how many and where new settlements were founded for them were analyzed with the methodological approaches of history and historical anthropology.

The Development of an Educational Outdoor Adventure Mobile App

This article focuses on the development of an educational outdoor adventure mobile app while presenting findings that were derived from various case studies that we conducted using it. The mobile application, called RouteQuizer, is complemented by a web application and a database, forming a system that enables teachers to create educational treasure hunt activities for their students and monitor their performance. The aim of the research was to create a system that would exploit all possible Outdoor Adventure Education (OAE) and treasure hunt benefits while excluding possible smartphone use negative consequences. The development of the system took place in Greece and began in December 2017, by conducting a nation-wide research examining Greek secondary teachers’ Information and Communication Technology (ICT) literacy and perceptions on smartphone use and outdoor activities. By June 2018, 700 questionnaires were collected. In order to test the system, in March 2018, we conducted a pilot case study in Lesvos island Greece and between July 2018 and February 2020, we conducted four additional case studies and a teacher training program, all of which took place in Lesvos island Greece. During the development process of the mobile application, we focused on the participatory aspect of the process, paying special attention to the teacher and student evaluation during the design and prototyping phases. Considering that the system is educational we research whether the mobile application provided effective learning outcomes and whether it benefited students’ social and physical skills. The results that we collected suggest that the mobile application is an effective learning tool while mobile learning and treasure hunt benefits have been repeatedly confirmed during the case studies. Greek teachers and students also proved to be capable smartphone and computer users, and reported being willing to participate in similar activities in the future.

Co-Design of a Playful Mixed Reality Installation: An Interactive Crane in the Museum of Marble Crafts

Interactive installations in museums usually adopt hybrid technologies that combine physical elements with digital content, and studies so far show that this approach enhances the interest and engagement of visitors compared to non-interactive media or purely digital environments. However, the design of such systems is complicated, as it involves a large number of stakeholders and specialists. Additionally, the functional components need to be carefully orchestrated to deliver a rich user experience. Thus, there is a need for further research on tools and methods that facilitate the process. In this paper we present the design and development of a mixed reality installation for the Museum of Marble Crafts in Tinos island in Greece, which places visitors in the role of the crane operator and they have to complete challenges in a gamified version of the old quarry. The system lets users operate a tangible controller and their actions are executed by digital workers in a rich 3D environment. Our design approach involved iterative prototyping, research and co-design activities. The creative process has been supported by a series of organized workshops. The evaluation results indicate that mixed reality can be a promising medium for rich interactive experiences in museums that combine tangible and intangible heritage.

The Kythnos Microgrid: A 20-Year History

The noninterconnected island of Kythnos (100 km2 with 1,600 inhabitants) belongs to the complex of the Western Cyclades islands in Greece and is located in the Aegean Sea, 104 km from Athens. The island has a rich history in the adoption of sustainable energy applications, starting from the installation of the first wind farm in Europe [5 ? 20-kW wind turbines (WTs)] by the Public Power Corporation (PPC) in 1982, followed in 1983 by the first hybrid station comprising a 100-kW photovoltaic (PV) system coupled with a 400-kWh battery storage, also by PPC. In 1989, the WTs were replaced by 5 ? 33 kW (Figure 1), and in 1992, the PV inverters were upgraded.

Targeted placement of soil erosion prevention works after wildfires

Anthropogenic activities and climate change have accelerated soil erosion in the Mediterranean. In the region, erosion rates are further exacerbated due to frequent wildfires and flash floods. Soil bioengineering works and nature-based solutions need to be placed in targeted areas to provide the greatest erosion control in the burnt areas. The purpose of this study was to provide a targeted approach by utilizing spatial software along with field measurements to place optimally soil erosion prevention works. Specifically, the Gavrilovic soil erosion equation was implemented within the Geographical Information System (GIS) to estimate the areas of greatest erosion potential. The study area was Prinos Watershed of Thasos Island in Greece that was burnt in the summer of 2017. To run the soil erosion equation in GIS, different layers of data were collected or developed. Visual field measurements were taken to estimate the erosion potential factor. The results indicated the areas with the greatest soil erosion and allowed to pinpoint the location for the soil bioengineering works. The recommended works were wooden dams and log erosion barriers. This method could be used by the Greek Forest Service to promote the sustainable restoration of burnt areas.

Mapping European Border Control: On Small Maps, Reflexive Inversion and Interference

<p>The so-called hotspots—identification and registration centres on the Aegean Islands in Greece and in Italy—are not only sites of remote detention, European intervention or differential inclusion, but also logistical set-ups, where data is generated and spread across state institutions. Such socio-technical assemblages are hard to research not only because of state actors’ desire to keep things secret but also because of methodological issues. How does one disentangle their extensive, complex and rhizomatic nature? Which trajectories does one follow and which actors and voices does one assemble? Following recent work in the realm of STS, methods are understood as (b)ordering devices, which performatively enact an ordered world and produce accounts of the social, including some realities while excluding others. This article considers mapping a well-suited method for studying widespread socio-technical assemblages, but only if it is handled with caution. Based on an empirical inquiry into the Moria hotspot and following a praxeographic research approach, different types of small maps are developed that enfold complexity by being attentive to situatedness, symmetry, multi-sitedness and multiplicity. Furthermore, it emphasizes an on-going process of reflexive inversion of the mapping process that makes the crafted accounts contestable and its boundaries and blind spots visible. Finally, the article discusses how mappings can be used not only as research but also as a political device that contributes to the work of other collectives beyond the scientific production of truth.</p>

Scent of Jasmine Attracts Alien Invaders and Records on Citizen Science Platforms: Multiple Introductions of the Invasive Lacebug Corythauma ayyari (Drake, 1933) (Heteroptera: Tingidae) in Italy and the Mediterranean Basin.

Simple SummaryThe distribution of the lacebug Corythauma ayyari, a pest species associated to jasmine plants, has been updated using collections and citizen-science data. The path of introduction of this species in Italy has been inferred with molecular analysis. The results revealed an extent of occurrence in Italy wider than was previously known and the evidence of multiple introduction events. The work shows that citizen science can represent a further tool within the early warning information system for alien species introduction.The jasmine lacebug Corythauma ayyari is a pest of cultivated and ornamental plants mainly associated to Jasminum spp. This invasive insect is native to Asia, and it has been recently introduced in several countries, mainly within the Mediterranean basin. Here, we updated the known distribution of this species, including five new Italian regions (Liguria, Tuscany, Latium, Apulia, and Calabria); Salamis Island in Greece, and the Occitanie region in France. Citizen-science data have significantly contributed to the knowledge on species distribution, and the online platform for sharing biodiversity information can represent an effective tool for the early detection. Molecular analyses revealed that the specimens collected in Peninsular Italy and Sicily belong to a unique clade, suggesting the possibility of a single introduction, whereas those from Menton (France) and Calabria (Southern Italy) are separated from the others and probably originate from separated introductions.

Hospital stay frequency of patients with cancer diseases in Rhodes Island, Greece

Abstract Background Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally and a major public health problem that poses a threat to human development. The aim of this study was to investigate the number of hospital stays of cancer patients in Rhodes island in Greece. Methods A retrospective study was conducted to examine the parameters of frequency (case numbers) of inpatient hospital stays for a 4-year period of 2015-2018 at the General Hospital of Rhodes (GHR). Results In total, 1838 cancer cases were hospitalized during the study period, with an average age of 66.5 years and a male-to-female ratio of 1.9:1. (1199 vs 639). The most frequent diagnosis was urological cancer (incl. prostate cancer, 32.2%), followed by skin cancer (15.6%), gastrointestinal cancer (incl. colorectal cancer, 14.4%), hematological cancer (10.7%), breast cancer (8.9%), gynecologic cancer (5.3%), thyroid cancer (5%), lung cancer (4.1%), ear-nose-throat cancer (2.1%) and connective and soft tissue cancer (2, 0.1%). Surgery was the most common treatment (57.5%), whereas 250 patients (13.6%) received no treatment at the GHR. Most of the patients (66.6%) received one type of drug therapy, whereas the rest received a combination of drug therapies. Due to the lack of an Oncology Department, the therapy was given by other health personnel (e.g. hematologists) according the guidelines/recommendations of oncology-health-care-professionals in tertiary-care-hospitals at the mainland. Conclusions Our results do not follow the percentages of hospitalized cancer cases as seen in other developed countries. The island of Rhodes does not have the specialized staff and the means to treat all kinds of cancer, thus the patients with other types of cancer (e.g. lung and breast cancer) were referred to receive tertiary care cancer treatment in mainland Greece. Our results yield information to guide future actions in order to improve health and quality of life in people in remote/island areas Key messages An oncology department should be created in the GHR in order patients with common cancers, like lung and breast cancer to be treated in the island of Rhodes.

Dengue fever in the Corpus Hippocraticum.

Dengue fever (DF) is a globally significant infection which causes a range of severe and non-severe clinical manifestations. It is transmitted by mosquitoes of the Aedes genus (primarily Aedes aegypti, but also Aedes albopictus). In this letter, a possible DF epidemic on Thasos Island in Greece, which is described in the Book of Epidemics I of the Corpus Hippocraticum, is presented and analyzed. To my knowledge, it is the first report of DF in the history of medicine.

3D RECONSTRUCTION AND MESH OPTIMIZATION OF UNDERWATER SPACES FOR VIRTUAL REALITY

Abstract. In this contribution, we propose a versatile image-based methodology for 3D reconstructing underwater scenes of high fidelity and integrating them into a virtual reality environment. Typically, underwater images suffer from colour degradation (blueish images) due to the propagation of light through water, which is a more absorbing medium than air, as well as the scattering of light on suspended particles. Other factors, such as artificial lights, also, diminish the quality of images and, thus, the quality of the image-based 3D reconstruction. Moreover, degraded images have a direct impact on the user perception of the virtual environment, due to geometric and visual degenerations. Here, it is argued that these can be mitigated by image pre-processing algorithms and specialized filters. The impact of different filtering techniques on images is evaluated, in order to eliminate colour degradation and mismatches in the image sequences. The methodology in this work consists of five sequential pre-processes; saturation enhancement, haze reduction, and Rayleigh distribution adaptation, to de-haze the images, global histogram matching to minimize differences among images of the dataset, and image sharpening to strengthen the edges of the scene. The 3D reconstruction of the models is based on open-source structure-from-motion software. The models are optimized for virtual reality through mesh simplification, physically based rendering texture maps baking, and level-of-details. The results of the proposed methodology are qualitatively evaluated on image datasets captured in the seabed of Santorini island in Greece, using a ROV platform.

Small-Scale Cultural Tourism Events: Residents' Perceptions on Their Quality and Impacts

In the present article researchers feature the examination of the opinions and attitudes of the residents of Chios island in Greece. It is based on the investigation of both the characteristics (quality, potential, organization) of the island's main annual cultural events (Rocket War, Agas, and Mostra) and their possible impact on the local society, economy, tourism, and natural environment. Cluster analysis was used to classify the residents under three groups: Embracers, Realists, Neutrals. Each group has particular characteristics and a clearly defined opinion about local cultural tourism events and their impact on a local level. According to the main findings of the primary research some particularly interesting aspects of the effects of local cultural tourism events both on the local level and on the island's tourism development emerge. The conclusions drawn from the elaboration of such findings afford an opportunity to understand better the general impact of cultural events and by the same token to assist government bodies, residents, and other stakeholders in maximizing benefits, whenever possible.

Simulation and Evaluation of a Hybrid Renewable Energy System for Supplying a Desalination Unit on the Island of Lipsi, Greece

Water scarcity is a serious problem for the Aegean Islands in Greece. Due to the fact that tourist development grows in a continuous way, the situation has deteriorated over the last years. Current water resources management practices involving the exploitation of the groundwater reservoirs have provoked the salty water intrusion into the aquifers and in many arid islands water is transported by sea, at a considerably high cost (reaches about 12 €/m³ in some cases). Desalination is foreseen as a solution to this problem and it has already been adopted in many islands, as it is a process that can provide fresh and potable water in the required quantities, at a much lower cost. The coupling of desalination with renewable energy sources (RES) constitutes an appealing and promising option. This paper presents an integrated case study regarding the design and operation of a water-energy system for meeting irrigation and potable water demand in Lipsi Island (Dodecanese complex, Greece). As the desalination unit operation depends on the wind power, a detailed description regarding the generation of synthetic time series of wind speed data is also presented. Finally, a Cost-Benefit Analysis is carried out to discuss each scenario we examine from a financial perspective.